Elegy of Hope
by Unreal Phantom
Summary: //AU, OOC, FujiRyo// To save his ailing mother, Ryoma's willing to give himself up to a buyer. He expected someone cruel, someone corrupt. But, he never expected to meet someone gentle.
1. Prelude and Chapter 1

**Prelude**

Ever since he was a young child, Echizen Ryoma had learned that the world was a harsh and cruel place for his mother and himself. He couldn't understand the reason why others shunned the fragile and less fortunate.

At the age of seven, his mother explained to him a small segment of the reasons why the world was treating him the way it was.

_I know you're young, love, but try to understand,_ his mother had said to him one rainy day after coming home from her job as a maid to find Ryoma silent with tears running down his face, clothing muddy and slightly torn. It took a little coaxing, but she managed to piece together the story. Apparently, Ryoma was chasing after a stray kitten, but unintentionally ran into a group of older boys. Part of the upper class themselves, they sneered at Ryoma and called him names until he just couldn't take it anymore. When they turned their back on him, he pounced onto the leader. Hardly a match for any of them, but still strongly determined, he was thrown down onto the muddy earth by the others and huddled into a protective ball as he was thoroughly beaten until he blacked out. When he managed to come to his senses, he was alone and quietly made his way home.

At that point, Rinko gave a small sigh as she began washing his various cuts and scrapes. Deciding that there was no point in reprimanding Ryoma, she decided to clarify a few misconceptions that might have been going through his head. _I know you're extremely angry, but nothing can be done about it. The high class has always ruled, and while I'm not very pleased with your decision to fight them, I'm not going to encourage you to cower in their presence and give in to their unreasonable decrees. _At that point,she gave him a bright smile that always made him feel warm and safe. _Just think about your choices of attack more clearly. There are more subtle ways to get back at them, and at much more susceptible and vulnerable areas. But I'll save that for another time…_

Into his eleventh year, his mother was faced with unemployment. Searching for a while longer, she gave up hope of finding another fulltime position as a maid. The current, part-time work she had wasn't paying enough to support the two of them. The talk she held with him was much more serious and grim.

_Listen to me carefully, Ryoma, dear. I'm going to have to go someone else's house and stay over for the night. _

His bright, golden eyes looked into her bistre ones. _Mr. Obata? _he had asked.

She shook her head, heart breaking at the fact that his innocent view of the world around him would have to be shattered so quickly. _No, another man. I have complete faith that you'll be able to look after the house yourself. _She cupped his cheeks with her hands and gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead. _I'll be back in the morning. I'm sorry, dear. I have to do this if we need to survive. _She opened the door and stepped out into the fading sunset. Before she left, she gave him one last look. _Only for you, my love, _she whispered to him. Then the door softly clicked shut.

Early the next morning, before the sun had rose, he woke to the sound of her footsteps in the hallway. He quickly got up and rushed out, and was met with the image of her hair slightly mussed and tired, weary eyes that belayed a night of little sleep. He rushed to her and the two embraced tightly, as if it was a longer than a night that they were apart. As they pulled apart, Ryoma made a small face at the strange smell that seemed to emanate from her clothing.

She gave him a small laugh at this point. _For now, just_ _go back to bed and get some more sleep. I'll explain later._

What he had learned wasn't what he had expected. Perhaps others might later reflect upon this and state that Ryoma was much too childish to understand. What they didn't comprehend was the fact that Ryoma had learned to mature swiftly as a young boy.

His face was unreadable as she told him of her new line of work. _I'm hoping that it's only temporary. How do I put this?_ She gave a frustrated sigh, more at herself than at her son. _Okaa-san has to stay over night at other people's houses once a month, or at least until I find another job that pays as much as the old one._

Every time she left to stay the night over, Ryoma watched her leave. Every morning, she came back to find him waiting faithfully in the hallway, awaiting her return. He would then give her a hug, as if to assure himself that she was indeed safe and sound. Without another word, he noiselessly slipped into his own bed and into sleep.

One day, she came back and Ryoma saw that she was covered with livid bruises peppered all over her body. His golden eyes flashed dangerously, but his hands were gentle as he led her to his bed, which was the closest. Tucking her into the bed, he dragged over a stool to stay by her as her eyelashes slowly drifted down. She stroked his inky-black locks and gave him a reassuring smile before falling into deep slumber.

It was at that point that Ryoma knew he was no longer a boy, and would have to start acting like an adult if he wanted to shield his mother from the abusive nature of her patrons in the future. His golden eyes grew colder, harder as he slowly learned of the corrupted and tainted nature of the world around him. He smiled no more.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter One**

_Five Years Later..._

He knew that he was doing this for his mother. She meant so much to him; so much that he was willing to sacrifice himself for her. Did she not do the same for him, when he was growing up? It was only fair that the only possession she had to pass on to him should be used wisely. She was sick right now, and the decision to use his inheritance was all his own.

"Okaa-san, I'm going out for a while," he said to her, hoping she heard him through her fever-filled dream. "I'll be back soon with your medicine." He slipped through the door of the small apartment his mother had managed to find in the slums and left to find the rendezvous point. The only object guiding his steps was a mysteriously succinct letter that guaranteed to give him what he required.

Echizen Ryoma— 

_I noticed your application on the site for those asking for an employment. I have decided to contact you for request of your services…_

Heading towards the park in a white cap, black jacket, and jeans, he spotted the sakura tree alone on a hilltop. As he neared it, he also saw a lone figure, silhouetted against the setting sun. Striding over, the person turned around and Ryoma gasped slightly as he saw that it was a male, and not much older than he was.

Well, he shouldn't have been surprised. He knew about gay relations, and the fact that sometimes people had a kink for the same sex affairs. _I'm doing this for okaa-san,_ he reflected to himself. With a deep breath, he asked, "Are you the one asking for my services?" he questioned quietly, eyes downcast in the proper manner befitting his profession.

"Echizen Ryoma?" the male asked, in a soft tone that tempted him to look up.

"Yes," Ryoma responded. He continued to keep his face down, not daring to look up.

"I have procured a car. We will continue down to my place. There, you will receive your payment when you are done," the male stated. "Is that all right with you?"

"Yes," Ryoma said once more. With that, the two headed down the hill. A short walk later, they reached a glossy, black car with the back seat windows tinted. Without another word, the male opened the door for Ryoma, who immediately slipped inside. The male soon followed. He closed the doors and the car moved without a word.

The silence inside the car was rather awkward as Ryoma stared out of the window, not wanting to speak unless he had to. Looking at the sunset, he thought about his upcoming task. _This is the last sunset I will witness as an innocent being in this world. After that, I will become…_ He never got to finish his reverie, as his client spoke to him.

"I guess I should introduce myself now," the male said, once more in his soft voice, as if he was somewhat sorry to break the silence between them. "I am Fuji Syusuke."

Ryoma looked over for the first time since their meeting and looked the other over with gold eyes that were somewhat duller than its usual hue. The male—Fuji, he corrected himself—was pleasing to the eye. His light brown hair was cut shoulder-length, and his eyes, looking ahead at the moment, were closed. He was wearing a white button-up shirt, and black slacks. Overall, he didn't look too bad.

Not knowing what to reply with, Ryoma turned away once more. Luckily, the car grounded to a halt at that moment.

"We're here," Fuji said. He opened the door and slipped out. He held out his hand for Ryoma, who took it as he stepped out of the car. Ryoma cast a gaze over the house, which wasn't the gigantic mansion he thought it to be, but it certainly was a far cry from the one-room apartment he shared with his mother.

As they walked inside, Ryoma couldn't help but gaze at the interior, which was decorated with simple ornaments, such as a plain flower vase or a simple painting, but it was all so fancy to Ryoma.

Noting the curious gold eyes wandering around his house, Fuji was touched by the clarity and purity emanating from them. The teen, though dressed plainly and in somewhat worn out clothing, still managed to look attractive and somehow effeminate. _It's probably his face, _Fuji thought to himself. _More likely his eyes. _The golden eyes, framed with long, dark eyelashes, gave him the effeminate look. Coupled with a small, delicate mouth and a slender build, it was no wonder why others might take him for a female at times. He certainly did, briefly glimpsing at Ryoma's profile online for the first time.

Fuji led him to the door of his room and opened the door. Gesturing for Ryoma to head in, he noted that the younger boy had gone back to his previous demeanor of a submissive and compliant character. It tore at his heart, the way Ryoma's body language practically shouted out to him of complete surrender to his patron's every whim and command.

Without a word from Fuji, Ryoma automatically located the bed and sat gingerly upon the edge, seemingly calm with the situation on the outside. On the inside however, he was tense and slightly jumpy. _For her,_ he repeated to himself over and over. Unfortunately, his apprehension was starting to show a little. To keep the tears from spilling over, he pulled his cap down and closed his eyes. He took in a large, shuddering breath to try and stabilize his turmoil emotions.

Fuji softly padded over and knelt in front of the younger one. One slim finger traveled up to Ryoma's eye and swiped away a crystal tear that was threatening to run over at any second. The sadist inside him was dormant at the moment, but he couldn't help himself and licked the tear from his finger. The need for possession grew stronger.

"Are you sure that you still want to continue with this?" Fuji gently asked him, still wondering why his heart was hurting for a complete stranger. It wasn't like his usual self.

Ryoma couldn't say a word. He opened his eyes, and was immediately entranced as he stared into unfathomable blue eyes, quite unlike anything he's ever seen before. Unable to break his gaze, he could only nod. A single tear fell from the other eye. This one, too, was caught by Fuji's finger.

With a graceful, lithe motion, Fuji raised himself from his kneeling position and seated himself next to Ryoma, whose gaze followed his every move. He took off the other's cap and cupped a cheek with his slender hand. Ryoma unconsciously leaned into the gentle touch. He closed his golden eyes and just _felt._

Utterly touched by this one simple act, Fuji let a small sigh escape his lips. Sometimes, his impulses had to be sacrificed for the greater good. He divested Ryoma of the black jacket and gently pushed him down onto the bed, who did what he wanted without even the smallest act of resistance. _I guess he really means to go through with this_.

Ryoma, who expected this to happen from the very beginning and was resigned to his fate, awaited the disappearance of his other articles of clothing. Instead, he felt a light tremor from the bed as Fuji stood up. A moment later, something soft and warm enveloped him. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see a comforter draped on him. Even more startling to him was that Fuji climbed under it and nestled close to him, and proceeded only to drape a single arm around his waist. He turned to face Fuji, his golden eyes asking a unspoken question.

Once more, the startling blue eyes stared into golden ones. "I'll still give you your payment, first thing in the morning," Fuji replied. "If that's what you wanted to know." Of course, he was more perceptive than that. He just needed Ryoma to voice it for himself.

"But…" Ryoma whispered, struggling to verbalize the matter into words. "You have agreed to your portion of the contract. It is only fair that I follow mine to the end."

"Shh," Fuji replied soothingly. "You're not quite ready yet, despite the fact that you think you are." He closed his own blue eyes, somewhat astonished at himself by his act. It wasn't everyday he passed up an opportunity to please his own sadistic needs. "For now, just rest."

Ryoma laid awake in the dark room, for the moment just enjoying the strange feeling of a warm bed and feeling oddly relaxed in Fuji's embrace. He listened to the other's steady breathing of one deep in sleep, calmed by it's rhythm. Giving a small yawn himself, he was surprised to find himself completely exhausted. He turned and snuggled closer to the other boy, and missed the smile that alighted on the other. The two slept serenely in one another's hold as the night passed peacefully on.

* * *

A/N- I don't know if this will continue on. It really depends on the readers. Drop a review if you like it, or have a comment to offer. Anything. Otherwise, I'll call this a oneshot. Somehow, I think it has the potential to develop further, but only if people are interested.

Until next time !

--The Unreal Phantom


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Early morning found Ryoma cuddled in the arms of his patron, Fuji Syusuke. As the pale, first light broke through the curtains, Ryoma—naturally, a light sleeper—stirred from the first nightmare free sleep he's had since a long time. The thoughts and memories of the day before were just beginning to register on him.

_I needed to earn some money to help okaa-san, so I met with my first client…_ Instinctively, he burrowed further into the comforter to stay close to the warmth. _We went to his house, which wasn't all that large, if I remember correctly._ The bundle shifted to reveal a light-haired male with long-lashed eyes slowly stirring. They cracked open to reveal a gleam of blue that cut through the soft radiance of the sunrise. _He surprised me by deciding not to employ my services, so we only slept together…_

Suddenly, the full realization of the night before passed. "Okaa-san!" he cried out, sitting up with his eyes wide open. His breath came out harshly as chaotic thoughts swiftly ran through his head. _Okaa-san, I'm so sorry…I forgot my promise to you…if anything ever happened…I don't know what I would do. What made me forget about you so easily? It's all my fault…_

"Echizen-kun, what's wrong?" Fuji inquired sharply, startled when the younger boy shot up without warning. He slowly sat up himself and studied the other's face, which reflected confusion and turmoil. Fuji was also surprised to find regret, which was exceedingly evident in his bright, golden eyes.

Ryoma was still staring ahead, eyes frantic. "My mother. She's not well…" With that, he threw off the covers and hastily put on his jacket, which was folded in a neat pile on a desk.

Fuji slipped off the bed as well and nodded in understanding. "It'll be faster if I take you there," he said to Ryoma, who only looked at him once with grateful eyes.

They ran through the hallways where Ryoma had once examined his surroundings with open curiosity, but now passed by without a single cursory glance. "Go outside and wait by the car. I'll be back with the driver," Fuji said to Ryoma. Without hesitation, he sprinted out the door as Fuji ran back into the house, seeking the room of his chauffeur. With a swift and concise explanation as to why he needed the car to be driven so earlier in the morning, the driver agreed and they were soon on the road, with Ryoma pointing out the directions to his house.

As soon as the car stopped at a safe enough speed to exit, Ryoma threw open the door and raced inside the apartment. Fuji took a little longer to step out, his eyes opening to survey the surroundings.

What he saw saddened him greatly. As a member of the upper-class—albeit the middle portion of the upper-class, but far from being underprivileged—he rarely had the chance to view this section of the city. As he viewed the dilapidated and shabby apartment Ryoma had entered, memories from his past suddenly hit him.

_Fuji was seven years old at the time. He was running side-by-side with Yuuta, his younger brother, cheerful and without a care in the world. They were in the park, enjoying a warm afternoon under the cloud-free sky. Unexpectedly, a gray, tiger-striped cat scampered across their path. They stopped and stared at it with open fascination as it streaked across the grass like a gray lightning bolt. The cat then ran to the chain link fence that marked the borders of the park and managed to slip it's lean body under the base to appear on the other side. Beyond the fence, Fuji noticed the rundown buildings interspersed with graffiti, the trash strewn randomly and thickly about, the inhabitants in scruffy and patched-up clothing. Yuuta followed his gaze and his gray eyes widened in curiosity._

_Yuuta tugged on Fuji's sleeve. "Aniki, what is that place? It's so different from our own house. I've never seen it before…" His voice trailed off as the two of them unconsciously moved closer. _

"_I don't know." They had reached the fence and Fuji's hands were hanging onto it as his eyes opened to survey the world outside of their own. "I can ask okaa-san later." A voice called out to them from across the field, bidding them to return. "Come on, Yuuta. We can come back next time."_

_On the drive home, Yuuta nudged Fuji and gave him a look. Fuji nodded and tried to put on a serious tone as he asked his mother._

"_Okaa-san?" Fuji asked._

"_Yes, Syusuke?"_

"_Thank you for taking us to the park today."_

"_You're very welcome."_

"_I have a question to ask, though. As Yuuta and I were playing in the fields, we saw a weird place, okaa-san." Fuji paused, struggling to find the best way to ask his mother without sounding too foolish or immature. "It was really odd. The houses were small, and there was trash everywhere. The people and the kids there looked really dirty." _

_She turned to face him from the passenger seat in the front of the car. "Listen to me carefully, Syusuke." She spoke slowly, enunciating every syllable clearly. "You and Yuuta are never to go there again." _

"_But why, okaa-san?" Yuuta interjected, questioning without care. "Is that a bad place?"_

"_The Fuji family is part of the upper-class. If we were to associate ourselves with trash like them, our whole reputation would go down the drain."_

"_But why are they trash?" questioned Yuuta, innocence radiating from his eyes. "We didn't throw them away."_

_She sighed, wondering how to explain to a child too young to understand. "In a way, Yuuta, they really were thrown away like junk. You'll understand in the future, when you're older."_

"_So, we can never go to that place again?" Fuji had asked her._

"_No," she said sharply, which surprised both her sons. "You must never go there again. Syusuke, Yuuta, do you understand?"_

"_Yes, okaa-san," both Fuji boys answered. They gave one another a small, cheerless look, wondering why their mother was acting so different from her usual warm self._

_They never visited that particular park again._

Fuji realized that he was staring at the gray asphalt as he shook himself from his reverie. He raised his head and gave a dry, silent laugh when he realized that he was, indeed, breaking the promise that he had made a decade ago with his mother. _What possessed me to go through such lengths as to go against mother's order? _he questioned himself as he walked into the apartment, shaking his head a little, perhaps in regret or possibly in challenge. His eyes fell upon the slim figure of Echizen Ryoma, and that's when he realized he had all the justifications he needed to answer such a question.

The boy was kneeling by a mattress on the floor, and Fuji's sight fell upon the pale figure lying upon it. Striding silently across the small room to crouch next to Ryoma, he studied the features that gave rise to the golden-eyed enigma in his life.

Her face was laced in sweat, and her damp, auburn hair clung to her face in small clumps. Even in illness, he saw her beauty breaking through. Her half-lidded bistre eyes, though slightly glazed with the pain of the fever, radiated untold love for her son. Fuji clearly saw the similarities in characteristics of mother and son. Judging from her features, if Echizen managed to grow into an adult with the even half the looks his mother possessed… Fuji's breath came a little faster at the conclusion.

_He would be beyond stunning._

"Ryoma, love, is this Fuji-san?" she quietly asked her son, her voice slightly raspy from the fever.

"Yes, okaa-san," Ryoma answered. "He's the friend I was telling you about." He angled his face towards Fuji's, gold eyes devoid of expression. "He's the one that promised to help me get the medicine for your fever."

"Oh, what a nice boy, Ryoma," she said, giving a polite smile despite the pain. "It's very nice to meet you, Fuji-san. I'm sorry that I cannot get up to greet you properly, as I am somewhat inconvenienced at the moment."

"Please, Echizen-san, do not trouble yourself," he replied affably. _Both of them are so resilient to the misfortunes around them, _Fuji reflected to himself._ It's rather easy to see the similarities between the two of them. _"We came by to check up on your condition. Please excuse our delayed appearance. It was my fault." Fuji did not offer a reason as to why they were late, but she was too dazed by the fever at the moment to notice.

"That's…fine." She closed her eyes, apparently at the end of her strength. "I'll rest a little now, if you don't mind, Ryoma, Fuji-san. I'm feeling rather tired at the moment."

Ryoma gently placed a fresh compress on her forehead, tenderly brushing away her damp strands of hair to the side. "We'll go purchase your medicine now, okaa-san. Hang in there a little longer." He raised himself from the floor with a fluid, effortless motion and exited outside, silently beckoning for Fuji to follow him.

When they stepped back out into the streets, Fuji reached into his coat pocket and pulled out an envelope.

"Your payment, as I have promised you," he said to Ryoma. He held it out, but was rather surprised when Ryoma did not automatically reach for it.

Ryoma slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't take it until I have done what I pledged to do," he answered.

Fuji only shook his head a little at the other's stubborn pride. "Right now, the only thing that matters is the health of your mother." Seeing that Ryoma was still recalcitrant about the matter, he added, "You can repay your debt some other time. Just think of this as a forward payment."

Apparently, this was a good enough excuse for Ryoma. He nodded once and stepped forward to accept the envelope from Fuji. As he did so, Fuji leaned in and gave him a chaste kiss on the mouth. Fuji left it there, waiting to see if Ryoma would pull away. Instead, he was surprised when Ryoma didn't object, and just stood there. Fuji decided to pull away before he gave in to his own impulses. At the last second, right before he broke their contact, his sadistic side couldn't help itself, and so he swiped his tongue across the other's lips, tasting him lightly.

Ryoma did nothing. He only looked at Fuji, his face unreadable. "Thank you, Fuji-san. I won't forget my debt to you."

"Mmm, I certainly won't, Echizen-kun," Fuji replied. His opened his eyes. "Do you want a ride to a pharmacy?"

Ryoma shook his head. Again, Fuji silently wondered at the other's stubbornness against outside assistance. "You've already done so much. Plus, I know one that's not that far away. I don't mind the walk." _I have a lot to ruminate over, after all that has happened the last couple of hours. _

"All right, then," Fuji acknowledged softly. "Good-bye, Echizen-kun." He stepped into the car and quietly closed the door. The car sped off into the distance, and Ryoma followed it with his eyes until it disappeared around the corner. Without hesitation, he turned and began the short walk to the pharmacy, his thoughts focused now, not only on his mother, but also on a blue-eyed male.

* * *

A/N- For the reviewers, all of them. Thanks a bunch, you guys! You gave me the inspiration to continue on. The ideas just keep coming when I'm happy and filled with endorphins.

Feel free to drop a review, or have anyquestions or comments about the story.

To Chapter 3, with Fuji's story of the beginning.

-The Unreal Phantom


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

That one strange boy never failed to surprise Fuji. He had contracted Echizen merely because he was fed up with the stiff façade that the aristocratic classes had put on in one another's presence. The night he first 'met' Echizen was still fresh in his mind as he returned home…

The party his mother held in their home was too formal for his liking. He sighed as he realized that he would have to put up with the guests himself, for Yuuta was away at another school and would not be able to attend the party in time. He was forced to dress up and mingle with the guests. They would put on their polite, highborn cover that would veil their true character and he was expected to do the same. He would flirt, converse, or nod, depending on whether they were females, males, or associates of his parents.

After about an hour of the monotonous routines with the guests, he decided to withdraw from the party all together. He quietly excused himself from a particularly presumptuous brunette that kept dropping deep hints of her infatuation in him. Looking around to make sure that his parents were at the moment occupied with the other guests, he slipped out through a small servants door behind a potted tree.

As he made his way back to his room, he gave a small, relieved sigh, pleased at his abilities to exit unnoticed. He took off his tie and unbuttoned the collar as he made his way to his laptop. Bored from the repetitious routine he had to go through at least once every month, he decided to find something that would add a little more spice to his otherwise droning and tedious life, and booted up his laptop. He began to randomly search around the pages of the internet, following whatever path he managed to come across. It was here that he unintentionally stumbled upon the profile page of Echizen Ryoma, and truly opened his own eyes for the first time in his life.

There was a picture of him, with his face angled down in a submissive pose. His dark locks fell artistically over his face, but the golden eyes pierced straight into Fuji's. Fuji felt an instant attraction to the picture, entranced by the eyes, which seemed to emanate harshness and defiance, along with the promise of a life of complications to anyone who wished to keep his company for too long. He welcomed the challenge with relish.

He tore his eyes away from the picture with difficulty, and read the profile posted next to it.

_Name: Echizen Ryoma_

_Age: 16_

_Gender: Male_

_Profession: Pleasure_

_Seeking: Those interested in spending a night with a bishounen. Gender is not an issue. The price will be determined when I decide to accept an offer._

_Previous Experiences: N/A_

_Education/Training: Three Years_

That was it. Overall, it was brief and succinct. Fuji actually skimmed past the profession the first time, coughed loudly, and then had to go back and reread it. He read it twice more, and was amazed at how young Echizen looked in the picture. He could have sworn when he first looked over the photo that the boy was, at the oldest, 13 in the picture. But as he examined the photo once again, he noticed one uncanny thing.

The eyes were those of an adult.

He gave a small shiver. _What could have transformed a young, innocent child into an adulterated, mature male so quickly? Where could he have grown up to be forced into this kind of situation? _Fuji sat at his desk for a long time, contemplating on this matter deeply and arguing with his own conscience.

_I'm actually interested… Genuinely fascinated with a stranger I've never met before in my life. How strange._

_But would it be wrong to call upon him? I'm not forcing him to do this… He put this up by himself, out of his own will._

_It can't mean that I'm a sadist, just because I'm curious. Or so I think. Others say so, but I'm pretty sure I'm not. _

_He's so appealing… I'm already fascinated with a simple picture of his. I wonder what he'll be like in person…_

With that thought, he sent out an e-mail, slightly dazed that he even had the nerve to do so. He undressed from his formal clothing and pulled aside the covers to crawl into his bed, still having unfinished thoughts running through his mind.

_It's not like he'll answer me. I'm sure that there are more appealing offers other than mine. He probably won't even take me seriously…_

Fuji fell into a troubled sleep as the party went on, currently oblivious to his absence.

* * *

Four days Fuji checked his inbox, glancing to see if he would even get a reply. 

Four days it came up empty, without even a minimal hint as to if Echizen Ryoma even received and contemplated about Fuji's offer.

During the passing of the days, he grew disconcerted and became sharper to those around him. In his classes, he often grew distracted as his mind wondered off topic and began thinking about the haunted golden eyes and trying to decipher the meaning behind them. His interactions with his peers were short and abrupt, often on the brink of rudeness, but just not quite there yet.

He guessed that he wouldn't have cared so much about it, except that his mother gave him a long and stinging lecture the following morning about his early departure from the social gathering with 25 of the most important families. Not that he blamed his current fixation on a complete stranger. He was never immature enough to blame things uncorrelated with one another.

Fuji Syusuke was not the kind of person who worked hard to please people. Instead, he had a peculiar habit of reaping enjoyment in the suffering of those around him. Even though he possessed sadistic tendencies towards others, he greatly respected his parents and took care to keep them happy. As a child, that meant good manners in public and top grades in the best private schools offered to the aristocratic classes. As he grew older and began maturing into his looks, his parents introduced him to the future business partners of his age group. In other words, his parents threw together exclusive galas and festivities to try and familiarize the old and the upcoming generation with one another. To Fuji, it meant a whole night of pointless flirting and flaunting his charm as females, and not a small number of males, fell into the seduction tendrils he unconsciously wove around them. At the first couple of parties, he rather enjoyed the way he toyed with them. First, he would seek out one of the many female admirers closely watching his movements. He would subtly maneuver her away from the pack and talk to her, and flirt shamelessly with her until her cheeks grew flushed. She would giggle and laugh at every other sentence he spoke, and his parents—watching from across the room—would smile approvingly. Off course, he sensed the jealousy of the other females, but acted oblivious all the same. After about an hour of just the two of them conversing, he would excuse himself quietly and drift off to a male-oriented pack. Not long after he departed, the rest of the females would advance onto the one he had originally chatted and pounce on her, berating her actions with the ferocity and viciousness that only females possess towards one another. His eyes would open, and the smile he gave always had a predatory shadow behind it. The males of the group would shiver convulsively, pretend they never saw it, and would start talking louder and faster in an attempt to try and cover their nervousness.

To Fuji, that was his source of entertainment. The subtle ways he carefully manipulated the actions of those around him to the more blunt conversations he had with the senior rank that clearly spoke of his abilities as an upcoming tensai in the business world, it was all a game to him. He never took things seriously.

That is, until the fifth day, right before going to bed. Not giving himself hope and expecting his inbox to be empty once again, his eyes flew open in surprise as he riveted his gaze upon the message.

_Fuji-san—_

_I have decided to agree to your offer. The price is thirty-thousand yen for one night. Will you pay?_

His first reaction was complete shock. _He… he actually agreed to my offer. _The second was at the price. _Thirty-thousand? Well… it's not like I can't afford it. _He always saved up his allowances that his parents gave him, mostly due to the fact that he was never really all that interested in buying materialistic items to show off his wealth and status. _But_ _I wonder why he's willing to put himself up for sale. Well, with him being a virgin, it would be more significant and, therefore, more expensive the first time… But still, with a complete stranger? Why?_

It took him about an hour or so to gather up the courage to write his return e-mail.

_Echizen Ryoma—_

_I agree to your price, and will pay when you complete your side of the contract. You may decide on the rendezvous point._

His finger hovered over the _send_ button. Well, he did say to himself that he wanted to try something new and, thus, closed his eyes as his finger pushed down.

With that said and down, he slipped under the covers of his bed, settling in to rest. Once again, he fell into a troubled sleep for what seemed like the longest time. _Just think, it been almost a week since I skipped out of that party and met him…_

* * *

As morning broke through, he automatically rose from bed, and followed the usual routines as he prepared for school. It wasn't until he actually left the residence of his house did he forget about checking for a reply. Berating himself silently, for it was too late to go back and verify, he went to his classes and sat through them with a calm, if not cool, demeanor. He was agitated on the inside, though, and his nerves were on the edge. His eyes often strayed to the clock, counting the seconds as the day slowly passed by in what seemed like the sluggish pace it always is when one is feeling rushed. Time is indeed a fickle element; it never acts the way one expects it to. 

But, the passing of it is inevitable. At long last, the last bell rang, and Fuji hurriedly made his way home, passing by the greetings and farewells of his peers and admirers without even a single glance. Those who were sharp enough to notice a distracted Fuji steered clear from him, which basically meant the whole school, including the teachers and staff members. When one is a sadist, and a tensai as well, their reputation will spread faster than a wild fire in the savanna.

He quickly made his way home, barely aware of his surroundings. His mind was not exactly blank, nor was it pondering deep thoughts. It was in that state in which all minds sooner or later experience: a detached feeling from the tangible environment, an observation from which is an omnipotent view of the world.

He walked into the house, said a quick greeting to his mother, and swiftly made his way up to his room. Signing onto the web, he sat in his chair, impatiently waiting for the page to go up.

There was one letter in his inbox.

_Fuji-san—_

_The contact point will be at W------- sur C-------, by the lone sakura tree on the hill. The time will be 7:30pm, this coming Saturday. Until we meet, then._

_Echizen Ryoma_

What can truly be said about Fuji's reactions at this point? Incredulous, most certainly, as he realized that the truly out of the ordinary was to happen. Strong curiosity as well, for it was quite unlike an other experience he has ever had in his life thus far, and probably will be the single most extraordinary incident to occur in his life in the future as well.

_What is it that attracts me so much to him? _Fuji pondered. _His pains, his sorrows, his life; I want to find out. _

* * *

As the sun broke through the fog filled morning, Fuji just couldn't stay still anymore. He slipped into a nondescript black sweater and quietly stole outside of the back gates, hoping that none of the kitchen staff saw him, for they were usually the earliest ones up. With a cursory glance, he started off to one of his favorite hangouts: the seaside. 

It didn't take as long as it usually did, for he cut through some of the surrounding properties, careful of his actions as he pushed aside the various hedges and bushes. When he reached his destination, he leaned against the cool metal railings that bordered the edge of the soft sands, closed his eyes and just tried to focus on the feel of the dissipating fog, burned away by the ray of the early sun, the light breeze that caressed his face, the pungent scent caused by the salinity of the sea. The physical surroundings brought back a sense of reality to Fuji, who felt slightly disconcerted by his recent actions. Although known as not quite ordinary, he nonetheless followed the rules of society, as did his peers around him.

Suddenly, a voice broke through the tranquil mood of the early dawn.

"Fuji-senpai?" asked a deep-voiced male. Fuji turned to face the speaker.

"Ah, Kaidoh," Fuji replied, a polite expression on his face. "On your morning workout? I had no idea you started so early."

Kaidoh gave a small hiss, his version of a sigh. "Inui-senpai has me working out earlier. He says its better to do a light workout just as the the sun rises." He looked out into the gray waters of the ocean, a contemplative look on his face, and then turned to face Fuji once more. "But, why is Fuji-senpai here by the shore so early, and so far from his house?"

Fuji's eyes opened slowly, and stared into the other's. It was, at the most, a few seconds of eye contact between the two of them, but to Kaidoh, it felt as if it was an eternity. He shivered involuntarily as the sadist closed his eyes once more, and was more than happy to stare away from the far too perceptive gaze.

The polite smile was back on Fuji's face. "Now, I can't tell you that now, can I?" Fuji chided lightly in a patronizing tone, wagging his index finger slightly. "Otherwise, I'll give away my secrets. And you know I can't have that happen, yes?"

Kaidoh's only reaction was a short, jerky nod. "Of course, Fuji-senpai," he answered in a abrupt reply. What other people did was their own business, and he certainly wasn't going to start prying around now. Also, it was a known fact that once Fuji starts showing traces of his sadism, those around him get to a secure hideaway as quick and as unobtrusively as possible, or else suffer the consequences. Kaidoh unconsciously began backing away as memories and stories of that one boy, back in the fourth grade, that had dared to laugh at Fuji. _I believe he just got out of the hospital…_

"Umm, I have to go now, Fuji-senpai," he grunted out, hoping he sounded tougher than he felt at the moment. "Training, you see…"

Fuji gave him a nod, agreeing with him. "Yes. Inui would berate me if I kept you any longer. Good-bye, Kaidoh." He gave a small wave to the already diminishing figure of the younger boy, slightly amused at the other's fear of him.

Yet, as he turned to go back home, he gave a small sigh. Putting on the composition of an all-forbidding character in the presence of others was entertaining and comical whenever he had nothing else better to do, but it soon got old as he learned of the distance others keep from. He gave another heavy sigh as he realized that only a few of his peers actually knew his true character deep down, past the possessive tendencies, the sadist lying dormant once more.

Well, it was all going to change later on. He tried to promise to himself, en route home, that he would truly strive not to scar Echizen in their upcoming meeting. _Well, not physically anyways._ At this point, his locks began to sway as the breeze gained power. _It's a joke, kamisama. Really. _He gave a small groan as he realized that what he promised to endeavor for was a lot more difficult than it really seemed.

_Why must I give up the things I treasure most?_ Other than that last comment, Fuji could be seen wearing a pleased expression on his face as he wandered in a leisurely pace back to his residence.

* * *

A/N-I just want to kick FF.N in the shins for not using an aesthetically pleasing format, but yet I also have to thank FF.N for letting post. Hmm… I'll thank the reviewers instead, for their flow of ideas that keep the story running. Should I start introducing other characters in? I was a little hesitant about Kaidoh, but one person did comment on the fact that my chapter was too short. Opinions are important! 

Once again, comments, constructive criticism, and questions are also very much welcome and appreciated.

--The Unreal Phantom


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Ne, Echizen-kun, do you want to go to a party?" Fuji asked. exactly one week after their parting. Though his tone was casual enough, his heart was beating slightly faster in anticipation of the answer.

There was only silence from the other side. Fuji checked the screen of his cell phone to see if he was still connected.

"Echizen-kun?" he inquired. "Are you there?"

There was a cough, and then a clearing of the throat. "I'm sorry, Fuji-san. What did you say?" Ryoma was confused, for he had believed that Fuji never intended to see him again. He truly thought that Fuji would go back to leading the life of a highborn quality, while he, Ryoma, would go back to caring for his mother. He mentally thanked Fuji for Rinko's health, which was improving, thanks to the medicine he was able to obtain, but other then that, he hadn't really made an effort to contact Fuji afterwards. He supposed he didn't want to seem to dependent on an aristocrat. After all, he still had his one ambition in life to think about, but Fuji just didn't seem like the one he should be targeting.

"Would you like to accompany me to a party?" Fuji questioned once again. He wondered why Echizen was so reluctant about the matter.

"What kind of party, Fuji-san?" the other asked, in a hesitant tone that spoke of his indecisive opinion of the whole matter.

"Oh, it's not that big of a deal. My parents are throwing another get-together this coming weekend." He strove to sound relaxed, not wanting to scare off Echizen, who sounded as if he was about to bolt at the slightest sign of danger. "It's really boring most of the time, but if you came with me, I'm pretty sure that it'll be a lot more entertaining and interesting than if I went by myself."

Once again, Fuji's only answer from Echizen was silence. He kept his silence as well, determined to keep his hopes down and find out the response before anything else went on.

"I…I really think I'm the wrong person to ask for this type of situation," Ryoma finally said at last, his voice breaking through the silence that they had established. "But why is it—"

"Ah, I'm really sorry, Echizen-kun," Fuji suddenly interrupted. Ryoma could hear a female voice calling out Fuji's name in the background. "I have to go now. I'll come over later today and speak with you more on the matter. Is that all right with you?"

"Yeah, I guess that's okay," Ryoma replied, unnerved by the sudden intervention.

"Great. Like I said before, I'm really sorry. Bye, then," Fuji said apologetically.

Ryoma's voice was small as he replied with a bewildered "Good-bye", and was left with the dial tone as Fuji hung up from the other side.

"I wonder why, of all the people he could have asked, he decided to ask me," Ryoma muttered as he stared at the telephone, now emitting a worried beep. Setting it into the cradle, he made up his mind not to worry himself about the matter too much. The plan was already beginning, and sentiments would only get in the way. _And I promised myself that I wouldn't get attached to the subject._

* * *

As Fuji hung up on his cell, he gave small sigh, fully aware of the position that he'd left Echizen in. "I'm coming, nee-san," he answered to his elder sister's call. He just wished he could have explained a little more of the situation, instead of leaving Echizen with an incomplete picture that he was pretty sure wasn't appealing at all. 

He opened the door of his bedroom and stepped out into the hallway, where his elder sister, Yumiko, was waiting. "Where is it that we're going again?" he asked, observing the somewhat fancier than normal outfit she had donned.

She gave a pleasant smile. "Well, I'm sure you've already been told by okaa-san about next Saturday's social festivities, I presume." Fuji nodded, still unsure of where the conversation would be heading. "But I bet you didn't know that the number one corporation owner and his family was also invited."

At this point, Fuji's eyes flew open in surprise. "Atobe? Are you sure about that?"

"You know as well as I do about okaa-san's feelings about this situation, Syusuke," she said, to which Fuji gave an understanding nod. "Well, she's really nervous about the whole ordeal coming up this weekend."

"Okaa-san has always been too immersed in judging other's by their social standing," Fuji replied sagely. His eyes were closed once more, a thoughtful expression on his face. "It's not often that the Atobe family decides to attend one of her fetes."

Yumiko gave him an admiring glance, but was fully aware of her younger sibling's skill to catch up quickly in unexpected situations. "Exactly. She wants us all to be at our best, so…" She paused here, sure that he could figure it out by himself.

"Saa, so that's it," Fuji said quietly. "She wants us to look our best. I suppose this means we have to go and purchase a new attire just for this gathering." He turned and gave Yumiko a smile. "I don't really mind going out at this moment. It's always fun to shop with nee-san."

Yumiko's reaction to his response was to hug her younger brother tightly. "I knew I could count on you to come shopping with me, Syusuke!" She gave him a brilliant smile. "Yuuta's much harder to convince, if at all. When I told him about the situation, he told me that he already had enough clothes and wasn't going to spend a whole day shopping when he could be doing something else more important." She gave a playful sigh. "It's so hard to find a time for the three of us to do something together once again that we'd all enjoy."

"I also have something I want to purchase at the department store, so it's actually quite convenient," Fuji added.

"All right, then," she said excitedly. "Let's go!"

The driver dropped them off at Jusco's, a fancy department store that catered exclusively for the elite of society. Once the two of them stepped indoors, all of their senses were hit.

The place was attractive and elegant, with gleaming marble tiles and soft lights that gave a feeling of richness in the atmosphere. The air was filled with the elusive scents of the various brands of classy and expensive fragrance sprays. All around them were the quiet hum of conversation, like the passing of a burbling stream.

"Ah, Fuji-san, welcome," said a greeter by the door. "I hope you enjoy your stay here."

Yumiko nodded politely, and signaled for Fuji to follow her as she moved further into the store. "Let's see, we don't want something too fancy that says we're trying too hard," she muttered to herself thoughtfully. "But we want to look refined and comfortable in our setting." Her eyes flitted around their surroundings, skimming over the plainer boutiques and skipping past the overly stylish.

"Nee-san, what about that one?" Fuji asked, pointing towards a shop in the corner of the floor. It was mostly filled with solid colors that didn't attract unwanted attention, but wasn't dull enough to be boring.

"Syusuke, you always have the best eyes," she complimented him as the two of them strode over. She walked in and began to immediately rummage around the racks for the perfect outfit, while Fuji decided to take a slower approach. He smiled amusingly at his sister's actions, and, instead, wandered around the store in a random path, gravitating towards whatever rack that caught his attention.

"Syusuke," Yumiko called to him. "Come over for a second, please. I want your opinion on this outfit." He strode over and was shown a crimson sleeveless dress with a frilly, layered bottom. "So, what do you think?"

He looked at it thoughtfully for a moment, and said nothing. Instead, he reached into the rack and pulled out another dress. "I think this would compliment nee-san better," he replied. He held in his hands an evening gown of a rich peach-pink pastel hue. It had a halter-top fastening and tapered towards the waist. The end of the gown was cut at the knee in the front and cascaded all the way to the floor as it wrapped around at the back.

Her uptake of breath was sharp as she inspected it. "Wow, Syusuke, that's gorgeous," she exclaimed, her eyes on the gown. "I didn't even see that one. I must've skipped over it." She took it from him and stared at it reverently. "I should at least try it on to see if it fits or not." She never took her gaze from the dress as she strode into the changing rooms. Fuji was only too happy to help her out, and now focused on finding something for himself.

"Let's see, since I'm going to go with Ryoma," he spoke to himself, "then I should pick something that would match what he would be wearing…" As he came to that thought, he stopped in his tracks. _Saa, so that's why he's been so hesitant about the matter,_ Fuji reflected. _He started acting more nervous after I had explained to him about the party. I never even thought about why he might have done so… How cruel of me. But on the brighter side, it means that I can pick something out for him. _He smiled once again, just out of the picture his next thought made. _We'll make such a cute pairing at the party. _

His mood grew even lighter as he slowly picked through what he thought would be close to Echizen's size. _I don't think he'd like a light color… So let's go for dark. No, that one's too big, I'm sure of it…_

* * *

Ryoma was helping his mother tidy up their room when he heard a faint voice call him from outside. 

"Echizen-kun, are you there?"

"It's fine, okaa-san," Ryoma said quickly, noticing the worried look she had when she first heard it. "It's Fuji-san." Her expression grew relaxed when her son said that.

"All right, then," Rinko replied. "It's not polite to keep them waiting, Ryoma." She gave him a smile.

Ryoma handed the willow-bough broom to his mother and opened the door to step outside into the sunny sky of a late afternoon. As his eyes quickly adjusted to the change, he was able to perceive Fuji, in a beige-colored coat, carrying a large, expensive paper bag. _Jusco's? That's a really elegant place…_

"Hello, Fuji-san," said Ryoma quietly, hands inside his black windbreaker's pockets. Before he could say anything else, Fuji held out the Jusco bag.

"Here, for you," Fuji replied, a smile on his face. "I had to guess your size, but I'm pretty sure it will fit relatively well."

Ryoma's face was confused. "Wh-what?"

"Your clothes," Fuji responded. "For the party." He still held out the bag. "Here, I got you something."

Ryoma looked at him warily, hands still enveloped within his pockets. "I didn't say I was going, yet," he said slowly, hoping to stall for time to reorganize his thoughts at the moment.

Fuji gave him a mock gasp. "And after I went through all the trouble of guessing your size?" He face was downcast as he added, "You wound me, Echizen-kun." Ryoma's expression was still somewhat skeptical. "Fine, I'll admit it. The whole process was actually very enjoyable for me," Fuji said lightly in an amused tone, his face back into a semblance of his usual self. He gave Ryoma a brilliant smile. "Plus, I chose something that would compliment the two of us."

Ryoma looked as if he was about to cave in. _One last touch, that's all I need to finish this… _Fuji thought.

"Come, now. If you don't accept, I'll be forced to go to that otherwise horrendously boring party be myself." Fuji opened his eyes, hoping that Ryoma would change his mind. "Please."

Ryoma shivered as he looked into the cloudy blue-eyes. The various emotions he noticed inside them caused his heart to lurch within his chest. Coupled with the wavering tone that Fuji used with his final plea, it slashed at him. Against the combined efforts, Ryoma was not able to stand firm.

"Fine. I accept," he replied quietly, turning his head away. He grabbed the handles of the bag from Fuji, and blushed a little as his hand slid against Fuji's. He ventured a quick look with the corner of his eyes, and noticed that the blue orbs were clear once more, free of any apprehensions or turmoil. _I had no idea it meant so much to him, geez. _It was safe to say that Ryoma, though having decided to accept the gift, had no intention of doing so meekly. "Then we're even on our debt, Fuji-san."

"Mmm, not yet," Fuji replied in a considerably more whimsical tone. "You see, I would agree to that if you had decided to accompany me in the first place. However, you also accepted my gift." He took pleasure at seeing Ryoma's expression dawn in comprehension. "So that still leaves you in my obligation."

The wind blew noiselessly in between the two of them as they faced one another in silence. The only noise came about from the crinkling of the paper bag as it swayed a little in the breeze. Fuji was smiling, though his eyes were shut once more. Ryoma's face was expressionless at the moment, contemplating about his next reaction.

Ryoma was the first to make a move. "Che, I suppose," Ryoma replied, turning his somewhat grumpy face away again. Though his expression was somewhat irritable, in no way did it deter the sadist. Ryoma found himself enveloped in Fuji's arms as he was embraced tightly.

Fuji's breath was warm and tickled in his ears as he spoke. "Ah, you're always so fun to play with." He was extremely pleased that Ryoma made no signs of attempting to move away, but knew that it would change in the future. Ryoma was growing more comfortable in his presence, and it would not be long before his true character would cause the other to break free and shine as well. Even today, there were small slivers of it being shown. _He's really starting to develop into his nature, both mentally and physically. It's probably just me, but he seems even more attractive than last time, even in a plain jacket and jeans. _Finally, Fuji released Ryoma from his one-sided hug, but did not move away.

"Remember, if it doesn't fit, call me," Fuji said, handing Ryoma a slip of paper with his number on it. "I'll be more than happy to come over and exchange it for another size. Or," he added slyly, "you could come with me and we can go look over the stores together and pick something else."

"That's okay, Fuji-san," Ryoma said hastily. "I'm sure I'll approve of your choice." Prolonged interaction with Fuji seemed to be more annoying by the minute. "Don't you have somewhere more imperative to go? Something else more important you forgot to do?"

"Actually, not really," Fuji replied. He chuckled at Ryoma's slightly annoyed look. "I'm just kidding. "I'll come and pick you up around 4:30 this coming Saturday. Is that okay with you?" he asked.

"That's good," Ryoma said, opening the door of the car himself. He nudged Fuji in the direction of the car, who decided to comply without opposition.

"Until next time, then, Echizen-kun," Fuji said softly, at once serious. His countenance was calm and controlled once more.

"Good-bye, Fuji-san," Ryoma replied. Then door of the car shut with a small _click _and Fuji was gone.

* * *

A/N- It seems as if I always end with partings and such. sigh I'm not always for angst, you know. Anyhow, I know I left with a cliffhanger. Sort of. What did Fuji get Ryoma to wear! (Don't worry/I'm sorry, it's normal clothing of what a male would wear in that occasion.) Most importantly, what about the party? Next, chapter people. 

Questions(never get these, for some reason), comments, and/or constructive criticism. You guys know the routine.

Thanks for all the comments! You guys rock!

--The Unreal Phantom


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

With the departure of Fuji, Ryoma heard his mother call and went back into their apartment. Noting the curious look of her gaze towards the bag he held in his hands, he proceeded to explain.

"Fuji-san has just invited me to a social gathering next Saturday," he stated with a blank face, waiting to see his mother's reaction. Because he respected her so much, the final decision as to whether or not he would be attending was up to Rinko.

But, having a sunny disposition, she only gave her son a large beam. "I'm happy that you're making friends, Ryoma." But her bistre eyes grew cloudy, filled with infinite sadness as she started to reminisce. "It's always been a little hard for you, ever since that day five years ago…"

He looked straight into her eyes, but decided that what he saw was too raw for him at the moment, and then looked away. "It was my choice. I don't regret it, okaa-san," he said softly, his voice without the frequent traces of scorn or mockery. "The decision was all my own. Please don't worry yourself over it. I love you." His mother was the only thing keeping him going, and she was the only one he could express his true feelings for. The icy exterior over his heart did not harden as the years passed by that one fateful day. On the contrary, he grew more grave and pulled away from everyone else except her. His age group at school grew distant as they found out that any form of talking or communication only made Ryoma isolate further within himself. They had sighed, and concluded amongst one another that Ryoma was arrogant and conceited. Thus, as a collective group, they unanimously detached him from the social life at school. But Ryoma, young as he was, already had immersed himself in plans of his own to exact revenge for his mother to notice or even care. But to keep her healthy, he had to keep the secret from Rinko.

Five long years, and it was finally beginning. "Don't worry about me. Really." He smiled reassuringly, trying to put on a carefree face, betraying none of the emotions he truly enclosed.

She gave a smile back at him, and her face seemed to be wiped clean of the previous sentiments. "Well, I certainly don't mind you going. Have fun, my love." He stored the bag away and tried to concentrate on keeping his life as steady as possible until the upcoming Saturday.

* * *

The week passed by at a different pace for the two of them. 

For Fuji, it was excruciatingly sluggish. He hadn't received a call from Echizen, so he assumed that the other approved of the outfit. Each school day passed by in what seemed like an eternity. He often took to staring out the windows into the clear afternoon sky and grew entranced in his visions of how Saturday would turn out. At home, he grew absentminded, often wandering around the house in a trance-like state. Yumiko often asked if he was fine. Fuji would then answer with a distracted 'I'm fine' and start wandering again. Although, Yuuta arrived on Friday, and Fuji was able to immerse himself in his brother's company for the rest of the day, which allowed him to concentrate on something else other than Echizen, whom he seemed to be thinking about for quite some time. He didn't realize that until Yuuta spoke to him about the matter.

"Ne, Syusuke, what's the matter?" Yuuta inquired. The two of them were just relaxing in Fuji's room, with Yuuta lying on the floor and Fuji sitting cross-legged on the bed, back leaning against the wall. "You're acting rather strange, you know." He tried to look nonchalant as he asked this, but when Fuji didn't reply, he looked over from the corner of his eye. "Aniki?"

"Eh?" Fuji answered quietly, his eyes closed and looking out of his window and into the distance, seeing but not truly seeing the fluffy clouds of the late afternoon.

"Oi, aniki, I'm talking to you!" Yuuta sat up and turned to face Fuji. "I came all the way back home, and all you can say to me is 'eh'? What's going on?" He rarely grew so worried about his brother, since he knew Fuji was more than efficient in taking care of his own business, so his affections toward his brother were sporadic. He preferred to act as if he didn't care, knowing that Fuji would understand, but this would be an exception.

Fuji's eyes snapped open in surprise as he finally registered Yuuta's words. He turned his head and murmured, "What? Oh, nothing's wrong." He noted the skeptical look on his brother's face, and spoke in a firmer tone. "Really. Don't worry about me so much. Besides," he added playfully, "I didn't know you cared so much about your dear aniki."

"Che, of course I don't." Yuuta reverted back to his initial position on the floor. The two of them fell back into a comfortable silence. When Fuji thought that the other was asleep, Yuuta spoke up in a firmer tone.

"Aniki, this isn't about tomorrow, is it?" Fuji looked over, but Yuuta's eyes remained closed. "I know that you usually hate the parties that okaa-san throws, but it's different this time with you…" Yuuta's eyebrows creased together, creating a look of deep concentration.

"What's so different this time?" Fuji prodded. He didn't really think that he was acting so unusual. But if someone as imperceptive as Yuuta could discern it, then certainly okaa-san would be able to as well.

"It's… I don't know," Yuuta replied. He let out a frustrated sigh. "I can't really explain it right now. The aura around you right now, it's one I've rarely felt." He concentrated his gaze on Fuji. "Is there something or someone you're interested in right now?" Yuuta asked, throwing everything out into the open.

Fuji looked out of the window once again, smiling as an image arose in his mind. "Saa… I suppose you could say that," he answered mysteriously. "Perhaps even infatuated with at the moment."

Yuuta's face took on a surprised look. "Eh! Aniki likes someone? Who is it?" He knew his brother far better than what most people thought, including both the good and the bad traits. His brother tended to have sadistic streak that went farther than what was normal for most people and possessive tendencies, but Yuuta also recognized the fact that Fuji cared deeply for those he cherished. It wasn't often his older brother took to a person outside of the family so intensely. It could often be bordered on obsession.

"Who is it?" Yuuta prodded once more, genuinely interested in the matter and forgetting to act impassive and indifferent.

"You can meet him tomorrow at the party," Fuji replied without explanation. "Besides, you're here right now. Let's do something fun before we're forced to dress up and act elegant." He slid gracefully off the bed and moved toward the door.

"_He_? Wait, aniki!" Yuuta quickly got up as well, impatiently dusting off his clothes. "You mean, you actually invited him?" He followed Fuji down the hallway, now intensely curious. "But…why?"

Fuji never once stopped walking. They were just striding out the front door and into the street when he finally answered Yuuta.

"Well, how else would I introduce him to okaa-san?" Fuji replied. "Ne, Yuuta, there's a new ice cream parlor that just opened up a month ago close to the seaside. I know how much you like ice cream. Do you want to go?"

Yuuta sighed in defeat. When Fuji decided on something, he would not change his mind for anything. To keep inquiring him would be somewhat similar to trying to dig out of concrete cell with a toothbrush. Besides, it was only one day more, and to continue prodding Fuji could lead to a hazardous situation for himself. "Sure. Have you gone there yet, aniki?"

"No, I was waiting for you to come back so we could go together," Fuji responded. He started asking about Yuuta's new school, who responded enthusiastically. And, thus, the rest of the day passed comfortably enough for the Fuji siblings.

For Ryoma, however, it was a completely different story.

Every time he entered the apartment, his eyes unconsciously gazed toward the Jusco bag that contained the clothes Fuji had given to him. He hadn't looked in it yet, and didn't know the reason why he was prolonging the process. Perhaps, deep inside himself, he realized that he feared what was to come. But his conscious mind suppressed those emotions. Fuji had done so much for him, but Fuji was also only one piece of the puzzle to be toppled. Ryoma was sorry that he chose him, but it was for the greater good of those in situations similar to his own. _It cannot be help…_ he would remind himself, striding to enforce his own will.

However much he tried to do so, his body unconsciously disobeyed him. The nearer it was to Saturday, the more unstable he became. His hands would start shaking of their own will, no matter how much he tried to repress it. The headaches that struck him were more infrequent, but they made up for it in intensity. When they struck him at school, he was forced to lay his head down one the tables. Luckily, his reputation of dozing off in class was well known, and so the instructors left him alone. It was much harder to hide it when they came up at home, however. Not wanting his mother to worry, he would smile and quietly excuse himself from the room. Upon walking outside, his body couldn't take the stress anymore. He crouched into a ball, leaning against the wall and hoping with all his heart that his mother wouldn't come outside. The pain in his head would, at moments, become so severe that he blacked out for a short period of an instant. When he gained consciousness once more, he would find himself on the sprawled on the ground, with Karupin—his Himalayan cat—mewing worriedly and licking his cheek. Slightly shaken, he would force himself to stand up as he strove to drive his pain-ridden mind into clarity. He would continue back to his previous task and the vicious cycle would repeat once more after an interlude of time.

Luckily, or perhaps not, Saturday had arrived.

* * *

At exactly 4:30pm on Saturday, the sound of a car was heard pulling up in front of Ryoma's apartment. Looking outside a small window, Ryoma was able to see a light-haired figure step out. Assuming that it was Fuji, he grasped the Jusco bag with the clothes still untouched within it and spoke to his mother. 

"Okaa-san, that was Fuji."

"Oh, that's right. He's here to pick you up." Her face lighted up in a smile. "Have fun and don't forget your manners, Ryoma." Rinko heard the door close quietly and the soft murmurings of whom she presumed to be Fuji. With a click of the car door, she could discern the sound of the car taking off towards the direction of the middle of the city. Her expression grew heavier, and she lost the smile she had put on as a pretense in front of her son.

"Be careful, my love," she whispered softly. "It's a dangerous game you're playing with the aristocrats. I should know…"

On the ride back to Fuji's residence, not a word was spoken between the two of them. The tension wasn't thick, and, so, they sat in one another's company in comfort.

When they did arrive, Ryoma was surprised to hear Fuji direct the driver to drop them off in front of the gates. Fuji gestured for Ryoma to quietly enter, and the two of them stole across the expansive front lawn. When Fuji opened the front door, he looked left and right before stepping into the house. Even then, he walked a little ways before motioning to Ryoma to follow. Thus, they were able to reach the confines of Fuji's room without detection.

Once they were inside, Ryoma opened his mouth to question Fuji. But, before he had a chance to do so, the other spoke first.

"I suppose to want to know what all that was about," Fuji said perceptively. Ryoma closed his mouth and gave a small nod.

"I don't want anybody to see you until the party, not until you're all dressed up." One of Ryoma's eyebrows quirked upwards, giving him the look of an annoyed kitten. Resisting the urge to hug him, Fuji elaborated. "My parents judge harshly on appearances," he said softly. "If I want to you to stay in my company, I have to make sure you're accepted." That was as gentle as Fuji could clarify the matter for Ryoma. Expecting the other to be offended, Fuji was surprised when Ryoma looked away, nodding in acceptance. _That's very strange…_

"Echizen," Fuji said, still in a soft tone. The pair of gold eyes turned to stare into the deep blue ones. "I hope you understand." Underneath, that single sentence was posed as a question. Ryoma was the first to look away.

"I understand," Ryoma replied, casting his gaze downwards.

"I'm glad you do." Fuji gently tilted Ryoma's face upwards. "Listen, I need you to stay in this room. I know it's frustrating not knowing the reason why, but it's imperative that you stay out of sight until I come back." He forced Ryoma to look into his eyes. "Please." The golden orbs looked at him in innocence, alluring and captivating.

"Fine."

Fuji closed his eyes once more. "Thank you," he said. He gave Ryoma a light, chaste kiss on the lips, and then left the room with the small _click_ of the door shutting to signify the absence of his presence.

Ryoma took advantage of the moment to explore the confines of Fuji's room. After all, more insight into his patron's characteristics wouldn't hurt.

His eyes glanced over the bed. _I've already noticed that,_ Ryoma thought wryly. He strode over to the bookshelf, which was filled mostly with photo albums and textbooks on the various subjects one would need for school. There was one section, however, that was concentrated on the art of photography. _So, he has an artistic side. Unusual for an aristocrat, but not impossible. _Adjacent to the bookshelf was a clear pane of glass and a windowsill, which housed the pots of 4 cacti. They were all different from one another and in various stages of development, some with blossoms and others containing only spines. _Hmm…I suppose we all have our own quirks in life. _He moved over to the desk, where the papers were neatly organized with a laptop rested in the corner of it. A textbook was laid open in the center of the desk. Careful not to lose the page the book was open to, Ryoma flipped to the cover. '_Psychology: Into the Human Psyche'. That's a deep subject to touch on for a high school student. But then, everything I've seen from him seems to be odd, so it probably isn't that big of a deal. _He opened the only other door in that room that held a full-length mirror, but discovered that it was only a walk-in closet. The only piece of furniture left was the television set on a stand. The remote was arranged neatly next to it, and the videos stored tidily in a rack.

Already bored in five minutes, Ryoma opted to take a nap until Fuji came to get him. Although his urge to explore the rest of the residence was strong, he detested the complications that it would bring when he was caught even more. Thus, he laid upon the bed, not even bothering to slip underneath the covers.

* * *

When it was five minutes to 6pm, Fuji slipped back into his room. His eyes were automatically drawn to Ryoma's slim figure on his bed. He paced over as silently as he could, and fell in love with the picture of the younger boy on his bed. Ryoma was the very picture of innocence, with his sleeping features untouched by the worries of the world and his body in the same exact position a cat would take when dozing. Luckily, Fuji was never too far away from a camera, and was able to procure one from a drawer underneath his desk. Kneeling in front of the bed, he took a shot and paused, waiting to see if Ryoma would wake from the small _click_. When Ryoma didn't stir, he moved to the side of the bed to take a side shot. The second _click_ did, however, cause the long lashes to stir. Sliding the camera carefully underneath his bed, Fuji looked up in time to see Ryoma rubbing his golden eyes somewhat groggily. 

"Come on, Echizen," Fuji said cheerfully, "The party's going to start soon. Let's get you dressed." Fuji was already in his garb for the evening. He was in a black, long-sleeved button-up dress shirt with a white tie. He was also wearing black dress pants with the proper shoes. His slim frame, along with his choice of clothing, gave Fuji an air of being laid-back but still elegant.

Ryoma picked up the bag, and when he reached in, he came out with a white silk tie. _Oh, god. We're not going to wear the same outfit, are we? _Pulling the rest of the articles of clothing out, he spotted the same black shirt and pants, but in his size. With a resigned sigh, he was in the process of taking off his shirt when he paused, noticing that fact that Fuji was still facing the same direction, with the unfathomable blue eyes open and staring at him.

"Am I suppose to change in front of you?" he questioned.

Fuji's eyes were locked onto Ryoma's hands, which were still holding onto the hem of the shirt. "I can turn around," Fuji replied distractedly.

"I'd feel a lot more comfortable if you would leave the room," Ryoma stated dryly. At his tone, Fuji's eyes snapped up.

"Are you attempting to evict me from my own room? How rude, Echizen," he stated mischievously, his eyes dark and sparkling with amusement. However, Fuji did turn around.

Ryoma paused a little, waiting to see if Fuji was truly looking the other way. When the other did not turn around, Ryoma stripped himself of his shirt. He threw on the dress shirt, not buttoning it up yet, for he wished to get the pants on as soon as possible. He slipped into the black pants, noting the sensation of the cool fabric as he slid into it. He was just zipping up his pants when he looked up and straight into Fuji eyes. He gave an exasperated sigh, observing the fact that the other's eyes grew dark once more, and slowly raked over his exposed upper body, due to the fact that he hadn't buttoned up his shirt yet. When the last of his buttons was secured and his shoes were slipped on, Fuji finally managed to snap out of his daze.

"Did you really mean to by the same outfit for the both of us?" Ryoma's voice held a tinge of annoyance.

"I thought we'd look so cute together if we did," Fuji reasoned. He pushed Ryoma in front of the full-length mirror. He draped his own arms over the other's shoulders and clasped him possessively. His cheek pressed lightly against the side of Ryoma's. "See?" Fuji was beaming alongside Ryoma's slightly annoyed features.

"Come on. We'll be late if we don't head over soon." Fuji's hand gripped onto Ryoma's as he opened the door and led the way out. Ryoma, however, was soon distracted. Fuji's slim hand holding his own was leading him towards the direction of the ballroom. Surprisingly, it was a comfortable, warm weight.

A short walk pass what seemed like an endless maze of corridors, and the two of them finally entered through a side door. Ryoma's breath caught in his throat and his eyes grew wide as he took in his first sight of the decorated room.

The crystal chandeliers shone brightly up on the high ceilings, the lights bouncing from facet to facet. The walls were a warm, creamy peach, and the floor was inlaid with tiles of white marble. All throughout the edges of the room were potted trees and various bouquets of flowers hanging from the wall. The far end of the room held the white-clothed tables, currently unoccupied, as dinner had not started yet. All the way through the whole room was a sea of richly dressed people clustered into groups. The only movement seemed to come from the many waiters and waitresses moving with ease in between them all and still managing to perfectly balance their trays heavily laden with glasses of drinks and refreshments.

Fuji, meanwhile, had grown accustomed to the room, but managed to smile affectionately at Ryoma's reaction. He leaned over to whisper in the other's ear.

"We've entered through the side door, so this is only a small part of it. I just didn't want to attract too much attention, you see. Well, not until you're introduced to okaa-san." Ryoma was currently too distracted by the room to notice anything else at the moment.

Fuji led Ryoma to the center of the room, the most likely position of his mother. His hand was still holding onto Ryoma's, who looked about the surroundings in wide curiosity. He quickly spotted his mother—thankfully unoccupied at the moment—grasping a slim glass of champagne.

"Okaa-san, I'd like you to meet Echizen Ryoma. He is my guest for the evening." Fuji introduced the younger boy while simultaneously nudging him to the front.

At the sound of her son's voice, she turned to face the two. Her face was slightly furrowed in concentration when she heard it. "Echizen? I don't believe that I've heard of them before. But, it does sound somewhat memorable for some reason..." She looked over at the younger boy, noting the intensity in the golden eyes. "Do you attend the same school as Syusuke?" she questioned politely, but her mind was searching, intrigued by his features that seemed so familiar.

Ryoma opened his mouth to answer, but before he could utter a single word, Fuji interjected with a reply.

"No, okaa-san. He actually attends one near it. But he's transferring over soon," he answered smoothly.

Her countenance looked pleased, and she questioned no further. "Then make sure you introduce him to everyone else, so that he'll fit right in when he does arrive, Syusuke." Inside, she was annoyed that she couldn't pinpoint the reason why her son's guest ensued such query in herself. _There's something about him, but I just can't see it right now…_

"Yes, okaa-san," Fuji said. He grasped Ryoma's hand once more and led him away. His mother immediately noticed the unspoken intimacy between the two of them. _So, you're more than an ordinary student and friend with Syusuke. There's a reason behind the fact that he's never brought guests to a gathering before, so you're definitely special, Echizen Ryoma. _She furrowed her eyebrows in concentration, but a nearby guest began a conversation with her, thus capturing her attention and preventing the processing of any further thoughts on Syusuke and his guest.

Fuji weaved in and out between the clusters of people, his hand still clinging to Ryoma's. A few greetings were directed his way, but he only stopped long enough to return the greeting, his mind focused on other matters. When the two of them reached the edge of the room, he turned to face the younger boy.

"Listen, Echizen, I have some matters of business to attend to," Fuji stated. "I need you to stay here. Once again, I can't say why. But, please, understand."

Ryoma gave a small nod and said nothing. However, his eyes said everything for him. In the golden depths, they radiated trust.

"I'll be back soon. Oh, and try to avoid talking to anyone if it can be helped," Fuji added. With a step into the crowd, he was gone from Ryoma's line of vision.

Ryoma felt slightly abandoned, but nonetheless put on a bored expression to hide his uncertainties. Edging a little closer to a potted tree, he noticed that he could observe the party more openly while concealing his own position. His eyes scanned over the faces of the rich. _Jeez, they all look the same. _He snorted a little in derision. _You'd think with all the wealth they have, they could afford to look different from one another_.

"You're certainly a new face, aren't you?" a suave voice interrupted, breaking through his brief assessment of the crowd.

Ryoma was careful to keep his features expressionless as he turned his half-lidded eyes upwards to meet ash-gray ones. The face was handsome, with elegant lines and faultless eyebrows. The mole under the right eye only served as a reminder that no one is born in perfection, but, instead of marring the face, it gave it a certain aura of sophistication. Not a single one of his silvery strands of hair was out of place.

He was, indeed, the ideal image of aristocracy. And he had just addressed Ryoma. However, the lack of answer from the other irked him a little.

He handed Ryoma glass of what seemed to be white wine. Ryoma gave a small nod, but continued to keep his silence. His eyes never broke away from the gray ones.

Atobe was more than slightly annoyed now. After all, he actually performed a good deed and _bestowed _a gift to someone other than himself. They, however, chose not to respond to the splendor of his presence. Of course, manners dictate that he should still act superior, no matter how others respond. Moreover, the other was extremely pleasant to look at.

"I would've noticed you before," he stated grandly. "And I certainly would not have forgotten a face as delicate as yours." Two slim fingers slid under Ryoma's chin and tilted them up. "I'm sure you could provide better company for me, since it seems to be so dull—"

"Ryoma," a voice addressed behind him.

Atobe slowly turned around to face his interrupter, his hand dropping back down to his sides.

"Ah, Syusuke-kun," he said, a devious smile on his face. "It's so nice to see you again. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"I suppose it has," Fuji replied. His eyes were open, but the intense gaze was focused on the younger boy. They flicked back and forth between Atobe and Ryoma, but other than that, his countenance remained polite.

"I just had a most interesting conversation with a guest here. Ryoma, you say?" he asked somewhat dryly. _The most one-sided talk I've ever been in._

"Yes. Echizen Ryoma. He is my guest for the evening." Fuji's voice went dangerously soft, inflicting the subtlest emphasis on 'my'. The ice-blue orbs were now fixed upon Atobe. "Please excuse the two of us. We have others matters of business to attend to at the moment, Atobe-san."

"But, of course," Atobe said smoothly. "It would be rude to keep you any longer. Especially you," he added, looking out of the corner of his eyes at Ryoma.

Fuji stepped forwards and held out a hand to Ryoma, took it without hesitation. "We can converse at a later time, Atobe-san." He headed back into the thick of the crowd with Ryoma right behind him.

"Yes, perhaps we shall," Atobe spoke softly to their retreating backs. "I'm looking forward to it." He gave a perfect aristocratic chuckle and turned away, turning his attention upon an influential group of men.

Ryoma was still holding onto Fuji, who seemed to be more tense than usual. He, however, gave no resistance. He just thought Fuji was bored of the party, as he already was. So deep was he in his thoughts that he nearly ran into the other's back when Fuji stopped abruptly near the edge of the ballroom.

"Ne, Echizen, I thought I told you not to talk with any of the other guests," Fuji said, his voice dangerously soft once more.

The tone chilled Ryoma deep down, and he tried to pull his hand away, but Fuji was still holding on. Realizing that struggling would only worsen the situation, he quickly gave up. Instead, he opted for arguing and defending himself.

"I didn't talk to him."

Fuji moved so fast, even Ryoma was surprised. He swiftly turned around to face the younger boy and managed to pin him to the wall with his own body. His face angled downwards until the tips of their noses were only a few inches apart. When Ryoma tried to look away, Fuji slipped his fingers beneath his chin and tilted it upwards. To any onlooker from the outside, it looked like a passionate moment between two lovers. However, Fuji's cold quality was more than adequate to deter Ryoma from any stray thoughts at the moment.

"Don't lie to me," Fuji hissed.

"I don't lie." Fuji looked deep into the golden orbs, and noticed that they never wavered from his own. He had to admit that the other had no small reserve of courage. There were few that could look at Fuji's eyes, and even fewer that could hold the gaze without faltering, much less look defiant at the same time. _Hmm, you certainly get feisty when you're riled. _The hand tilting Ryoma's chin up slipped to the back of Ryoma's head, cradling it as Fuji drew even closer to whisper into the other's ear, his breath warm and soft. "The picture the two of you gave me spoke farther than the words would, I'm sure." His seduction tendrils unwound a little bit, drawing Ryoma in.

"Well, pictures can be deceiving," Ryoma shot back, so far unaffected, He squirmed his lower body, due to the fact that his upper was trapped in place and restricted from movement.

Fuji unwound the tendrils further. "So, you're saying that he cornered you."

"Much like what you're doing at the moment." It came out somewhat breathlessly, as the effects were beginning to take place. Fuji felt Ryoma growing limp, placing less emphasis on resistance against Fuji's pressing frame. It wouldn't take long before Ryoma would be completely in his control.

"Hmm, that 's all we have time for right now, unfortunately." He gave Ryoma a swipe across the ear with his tongue before pulling away to release him. Ryoma staggered a little, and fell forwards. Fuji reflexively moved to catch him, his arms encircling the other.

"Ryoma! Are you all right?" Fuji questioned worriedly, his eyes closed once more. He snapped out of his sadistic phase unconsciously as his hand lay over Ryoma's forehead, checking his temperature.

"Y-yeah," Ryoma managed to whisper out, his head in a daze. "I'm fine."

"Well, you don't have a high temperature, so I suppose you'll be back to normal soon," Fuji said. "But, you look flushed. Are you sure you're fine?" He noticed that Ryoma's eyes were slightly glazed and his cheeks were tinged with pink.

Ryoma nodded, trying to keep his gaze on anything but the person standing in front of him at the moment. "I just need a minute or so to get back on track."

Fuji shook his head. "I think it's better if you exit now, just to make sure that you don't worsen your condition." He tugged on Ryoma's hands. "Come on, you can rest in my room until you're feeling better. You look like you need the respite." _You look frailer than usual. Why?_

The trip through the ballroom and back to Fuji's room was all a daze for Ryoma, who couldn't seem to shake off the cobwebby condition of his mind at the moment. The next thing he knew, his tie was off and the collar was loosened and he found himself tucked snugly under the warm comforter. He was still able to sense that Fuji was sitting next to him. _Thank you, Fuji. _His mind drifted into unconsciousness.

"You're welcome, Ryoma-kun."

* * *

The party was finally over, and an exhausted Fuji made his way back to his room, ruminating on his thoughts. 

_I thought that would never end. I keep swearing to stand up to okaa-san and tell her that I don't want to attend her fetes anymore, but somehow it never really comes up. It didn't really help that Atobe sat by me during the dinner._ He snorted quietly in disdain. _I had no idea any one person could talk about themselves in such a long period of time. But, he also asked a lot of questions about Ryoma. _Fuji frowned a little at the thought. _I don't know why he's so interested, but I know that his curiosity will lead to trouble. Speaking of Ryoma…_ Fuji was in front of his bedroom door, one hand suspended over the knob. His hesitation was brief, and he turned it and noiselessly slipped in.

Ryoma was fast asleep, and Fuji was relieved to see that the other's coloration was back to normal. _He probably didn't realize that he spoke his last words aloud before falling asleep. How cute. _He walked over to the bed and gently shook Ryoma awake. "Ne, Ryoma-kun, the party is over. I think you should get back before your mother gets too worried," he said softly.

Ryoma's eyes slowly fluttered open and he sat up in the bed. "It's already over?" he asked, his voice still slurred with sleep.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't have been able to last through it without collapsing," Fuji replied.

Ryoma grew slightly annoyed at the fact that he was considered fragile. "I'm not that delicate, Fuji," he grumbled.

"Still, even if you were fine, it probably wasn't the best idea to introduce you so early." Ryoma's face grew curious, so he elaborated a bit on the subject. "It seems you've made quite an impression on my mother and Atobe. They were rather curious as to why you were missing. I said you left early," he explained.

Ryoma's face was contemplative. "Atobe… He wouldn't be by any chance Atobe Keigo of Atobe Corporations, would he?"

"Actually, he is," Fuji said in a surprised tone. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing really," Ryoma replied nonchalantly. "Just curious." Fuji watched the other's eyes, though, and saw that they were whirling in thought. _There's something he's not telling me. Why can't he trust me? I would never hurt him. Why can't he understand that? _

"Well, it's pretty late right now. I've asked our driver to send you back to your house," Fuji said somewhat coolly. "I'll be sure to invite you another time, Ryoma-kun."

Ryoma slid out from underneath the covers and stretched languidly. "I'm sorry, Fuji. I'll make it up to you next time. I promise," he added.

Fuji brought him to the front gate and saw him into the car. He followed it with his eyes until they sped out of sight. With a sigh, he headed back into the house. _I guess I'll have to wait to find out what's your difficulty in trusting me, Ryoma.

* * *

_

Yuuta was waiting in Fuji's bedroom when Fuji returned.

"So, where's your guest?" Yuuta asked, curiosity showing in every line. "I'm curious to meet him."

"Eh?" Fuji replied absentmindedly. His mind was still with Ryoma that night earlier on.

Yuuta's face was slightly annoyed. "You promised me you would show me that boy you're so interested in at the moment."

Fuji sat on the covers, still rumpled from Ryoma's departure just minutes before. He turned his face to his brother and spoke in all seriousness. "He's not just any boy, Yuuta. And I'm certainly not just interested in him for the moment."

"You still said you'd show him to me," Yuuta replied dryly. "So…?"

Fuji gave a small, apologetic laugh. "It completely slipped my mind, Yuuta. I'm sorry." He tilted his head to the side.

Yuuta gave a small sigh. "It's fine, I guess. You seem to be distracted by someone other than me, so I suppose that's a good thing." He gave Fuji a wry grin. "Maybe now you'll focus on him other than me."

"I care too much about my family to forget about you Yuuta, even if you are going to another school. Besides," Fuji added, "I said I would invite him another time. You can see him then."

"Fine," Yuuta grumbled. "But I better see him then." He exited the room, mumbling threats under his breath.

Fuji only smiled, somewhat cheered by his brother's down-to-earth attitude.

_Hopefully, there is a next time.

* * *

_

A/N-Wow, that took a whole time. More than a month, actually. Finished Tuesday April 11, 2006, in Hawaii—Waikiki Hotel and Resort for the International Band Invitational. Yeah! Those are some nice memories…

Why aren't there any FujiRyo fics now! It's a comeback of TezuFuji! Ah, well. I guess I'll have to change that.

Anyhow, enjoy, because it's been so long.

The Unreal Phantom


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"The mistress of the household has requested a private viewing with you in the study," a maid said, her eye's downcast and her body in a deep bow. She was in the doorway of Fuji's room, who was currently on his bed flipping through a photography magazine.

"Please tell her that I'll be down in a minute," Fuji replied distantly, his eyes never leaving the glossy page.

He sensed rather than saw the nervous bob of the maid's head. "Ah, she was rather insistent that you see her right away," she replied timidly.

Fuji finally looked up from the page. "I see…I'll go immediately, then." Tilting his head to the side, he asked, "Why do you seem so tense and edgy all the time, Mariko-san?"

"As the master wishes!" She squeaked out this last sentence before she—literally—ran from the room. Around the same age as the elder male of the Fuji siblings, she's always had a crush on him since she first started working as a maid in the Fuji residence. Whenever she spoke to him, which was rarely, it was always with her face down and in a small voice. She couldn't help it, really. She had heard stories of how Fuji toyed around with the girls, breaking their hearts when it hurt the most, completely shattering their will to love once more. She had shuddered, but was also unable to stop her own heart from adoring the sadist and his charming good looks. However, even she noticed a change in him, starting from about two weeks ago. He seemed to be less…cold, his actions less calculated and more natural to that of a teen. In fact, he actually gave her the impression that he was kind and loving.

It makes matters even more heartbreaking for Mariko-san now, due to the fact that Fuji's love already belonged to another's at this point and that he had not, and never would look at her in the way she desired. A pity that she will never find out, either.

Fuji gave a small sigh as he slid off the thick covers of his bed. Stretching slightly, he glanced at the empty space of the recently departed Mariko-san. "I wonder why okaa-san called for me," he said aloud to himself in the empty room. Heading out the door, he started for the study, which was in the other wing of the house.

A short walk later, he was in front of the thick mahogany double-door of the study. He knocked sharply on it twice, and was rewarded with a succinct 'Come in' from his mother. He turned the knob to step into a small room lit with the warm glow of the fireplace. The crimson carpet was thick and plush underneath his bare feet, the decorations of the room reflecting intellect and elegance. With a small gesture from his mother, he took a seat on the plush armchair across from her. But, before they could talk about what she called him for, the pleasantries had to come first.

"It's good day, isn't it, okaa-san?" he said in a polite inquiry. He settled himself more comfortably in the armchair, recognizing her posture that it would be a while before the talk would be over with.

"Very pleasant weather we're having, yes," she replied amiably. "Especially since it's the transition between summer and autumn."

"Mmm. It doesn't seem to be as nippy as last year. In fact, it's a rather enjoyable change."

"I might even decide to throw together a Hanami party this early on in the season. Would you like that, Syusuke?" she asked.

"Whatever you decide, okaa-san, I will be happy."

The conversation went on for some time before his mother brought it to a halt.

"Syusuke, do you remember that charming boy you brought to the party last week?" she asked in a neutral tone. She watched his features, looking for the imperceptible movements of surprise. Suffice to say, there were none from her son, which annoyed her somewhat.

"Echizen Ryoma, yes?" It was quite obvious to Fuji that his mother knew exactly whom she was talking about.

"Ah, yes. Echizen Ryoma. You know, it's quite interesting, his background," she said smoothly. "Or rather, the lack of it." Her eyes looked up even as her face angled down, wanting to judge her son's reaction to her statement.

Fuji was careful to keep his face blank, his eyes closed. "What ever do you mean, okaa-san?"

"I looked for a record of his transfer to your school. I couldn't find one. At first I was puzzled, but allowed for the fact that he might not have sent it in yet. That's when I decided to search for his profile in the surrounding schools, as you said he went to one nearby." She paused here for effect, and then continued. "I found nothing, Syusuke," she said, waiting for a response or at least a reaction from her son. Still, he showed nothing, which irked her even more. "Now, why is that?"

He decided to answer her question with one of his own. "Why are you looking in on him, okaa-san? He's just a friend."

"You don't have many friends. No, let me finish," she said, for he had opened his mouth to counter her statement. "You have peers that know you. But not _friends._ Not in that sort of manner. You've taken him into your room, which you deem as your private sanctuary. You've let him sleep in your room, without a fear that he would go through your personal things. You've even invited him as a guest to the party last week."

"Now, Syusuke, if that isn't out of the ordinary, then I don't know what is."

"Am I not allowed to have _friends_?" he asked with emphasis on the last word, surprised that his mother actually attacked him on this matter. "It's actually quite normal for people my age, okaa-san."

"Syusuke, you're far from normal compared to others, even at your school," she said with a small laugh. "I don't think you understand the importance of your position in the future."

"Please, enlighten me." Fuji was struggling to keep his emotions in check and from showing.

Her tone turned serious immediately. "As the eldest of the Fuji line, you will inherit the position as head of the company when your father retires."

"What does that have to do with anything?" he almost spat out in frustration.

"It means, Syusuke, that you have to focus on school, and not with fooling around with others! You cannot allow yourself to deter from your future."

"What is so wrong with having someone close to me?" He could see where this was heading, and it did not bring comfort.

"They will distract you from your task," she said, losing her polite composure. Her eyes flashed in annoyance. "You've proven that you cannot have a close acquaintance while maintaining a high performance level in school. Thus was the situation with Saeki."

Fuji opened his eyes in surprise. "Saeki?" he asked. "What does he have to do with this?" A sharp pain shot through his heart as memories from his past arose. Instincts told him to avoid it, but the scene arose before he could stop it.

_He was eight years old at the time, and had finally found a person at school that didn't avoid him like the other kids. It was so hard for him to make a friend that he was surprised and extremely delighted that a fellow student would talk to him. He didn't know why the others kids would never talk to him. Neither did he question the fact—as he was only eight at the time. He just thought that they didn't like him because he was different, less social._

_So, he was extremely surprised when a boy approached him at the craft table._

"_Can I sit with you?" the other asked._

_Fuji looked up and was immediately drawn to the other's white hair color. However, his mother had taught him manners very well, and so he knew rudely asking about it would be unforgivable. "Of course you can. You can share my glue, too." Perhaps he was bribing, but he was a little desperate to make a friend. Anyone would be if they were in his position._

"_Hi, my name is Saeki Kojirou," the boy said as he sat down next to Fuji. He asked shyly, "What's your name?"_

"_Fuji Syusuke," he replied, giving one of his frequent smiles. It charmed the adults and it definitely did the same with Saeki. And so, a rare friendship had sprung up for Fuji, who couldn't be happier at the moment._

_However…three months later, Saeki had stopped showing up to school. On the first day, Fuji gave it up that he was merely sick and stayed home to recover. This was his conclusion for the first couple days. Though, after Saeki did not show up for a week, a small part of him accepted the fact that his one friend would never come back anymore. His heart withered at the prospect, and he spent each day looking longingly at the empty seat next to his._

_He never had a real friendship with anyone after that…_

"Syusuke!" his mother snapped at him. His head shot back up, his eyes making contact with his mother's as a wave of emotions broke over him. _No…_Fuji thought. _Please tell me you had nothing to do with Saeki._

"What…?" Fuji faltered at the thought of the answer, but he knew it had to go into the open. "What…did you do to Saeki?"

"So, you've finally figured it out, Syusuke?" She gave a mirthless laugh. "Took a while, but you know now."

"Just tell me what you did to him!" Fuji cried out, needing to hear it directly from her. She was the only one that could get him to act outside his usual shell of emotions.

Somewhat startled by her son's unusual outburst, she nonetheless complied. "I would see you everyday after school when the driver came to pick you and Yuuta up. Normally, you'd be sitting on the bench like a good child, waiting for me. However, this time there was a strange boy beside you." She put up a hand, as Fuji had threatened to interrupt. "I could tell you were distracted by his presence—"

"What, you mean because I was actually happy for once?" Fuji said in a cold voice, unable to hold it in any longer. "You were disturbed because I had a friend to talk to, someone I could relate to and chatter about meaningless topics that only children are interested in. I was genuinely happy in his company, and you didn't like it at all."

"…" She stayed silent, not a little shocked by his sudden outburst.

"So, you decided to get rid of him, send him away so that I would never see him again. What did you do, ruin his family's name and send them down the social ladder?" Her grim silence only confirmed the truth.

"And now you want to do the same with Echizen Ryoma, don't you?" he accused her blatantly.

"You're afraid that I'll get distracted once more and forget the family duties?"

"You're getting too close to him! Don't you realize the importance of your position! You have no idea how lucky you are to be in this family!" She half raised herself out of the chair, her focus on her son's face. "You should be grateful you aren't living in the slums with the rest of the trash! Your father worked very hard to get us in this position. And instead of honoring his wishes to carry on when he retires, you would rather distract yourself with such trivial matters."

"_Friends_ aren't a 'trivial matter', okaa-san," he said venomously. "It's communication that makes us human. But, then again I don't expect you to know what it's like, for you haven't been one for so long." He swiftly rose out of the chair and walked out the room, slamming the doors to the study and muffling his mother's shouts of outrage. Ignoring her, he grabbed a jacket from his room.

"Ah, Azusa-san, would you mind taking me somewhere right now?" he asked his driver, shining a smile to try and cover up his earlier rage.

The man nodded. "But of course. My job is to serve the family."

While in the car, Fuji slowed his breathing down, knowing that the rage within him would do no good if it were out of control. _Slow, even, breathes…Inhale, exhale…_ Every time an image from his conversation with his mother came up, he blocked it out by thinking of Ryoma, which surprisingly did calm him down, considering the fact that the whole argument was about the younger boy.

"Young master? We're here," the driver said.

Fuji looked up. "Thank you, Azusa-san. Oh," he added on as he stepped out of the car, "I would be extremely grateful to you if you didn't inform my mother about this. Please."

"Don't worry about it, Fuji-san. You've always been nicer to the staff than your mother. Rest assured, your secret is safe with me. Just call me when you need me to pick you up once more." With a departing wave, the driver sped off.

He dialed Ryoma's number, hoping that the boy would pick up.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Ryoma, are you home?" he asked.

"How else would I pick up the phone?" answered Ryoma. He winced a little at the fact that it just slid out so naturally.

Fuji, however, only gave a small laugh. "Ne, Ryoma-kun. Look out the window."

"What?" A little confused, he nonetheless complied. When he stuck his head out the window, he almost dropped the headpiece in surprise. "Fuji! What are you doing here?" He shook his head a little as Fuji's figure gave him a cheerful wave. "Let me rephrase that. _Why_ are you here?" He pulled his head back in.

"I'm hurt that you aren't as happy to see me as I am to see you." The pouting was evident in his voice, but when Ryoma looked out the window, Fuji's smile was as big as ever.

Ryoma heaved a sigh. "All right. I'll come out, if that would satisfy you," he grumbled.

"But of course. Only do I have to see your radiant face can I truly say that I am happy."

Ryoma blushed at this last remark. "B-baka! Don't say things like that!" He hung up the phone and stepped out. "Fuji?" One hand went up to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun, waiting for his vision to adjust.

"Over here, Ryoma-kun," Fuji said. He slid an arm around the slim waist of the younger boy. "I know a park that's close by. Come with me."

Since his arm was around Ryoma's waist, Ryoma had no choice but to start walking as well. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Ah, yes. About that. Hmm…" Fuji mused. "I guess I just wanted to see you. It's been so long, you know."

Ryoma quirked an eyebrow. "It's been a week. You couldn't have missed me that much."

"Saa…you'd be surprised at how much things could change within a week."

"…" Ryoma could find nothing to say, and so he decided that silence wasn't all that bad. But it was a comfortable silence the two found themselves in as Fuji gently guided the way to the park.

When they reached the inside, Ryoma was alerted by all the strange looks directed toward their direction. "Fuji, could you remove your arm from around my waist? People are staring at us," he whispered discreetly, hoping that Fuji wouldn't make a scene. Surprisingly, Fuji complied but instead held Ryoma's hand.

"Ne, Ryoma-kun, let's sit under that tree," Fuji said, pointing to a small tree not to far away atop a gentle hill.

Ryoma shrugged. "Betsuni." Apparently, handholding was a little better, for he could feel the stares turning away. Some of them, at least.

Taking that as consent, the two of them sat down. Fuji sat with his back against the tree, crossing his legs. "Sit over here, Ryoma-kun," he said, smiling brightly while indicating his lap as the destination.

Ryoma had a look of disbelief on his face. "You're joking, right?" he asked weakly.

"Please? After all, I did what you asked when you wanted me to hold your hand instead," Fuji replied beseechingly.

"That's the thing. I only asked you to remove your arm from around my waist," Ryoma said exasperatedly. "I never asked you to hold my hand."

"Ah, well. I assumed that's what you wanted unconsciously." Fuji tugged sharply on the other's wrist, causing Ryoma to fall onto his lap. "See? I knew you wanted to sit here."

Ryoma snorted, knowing that struggling would be futile. Though Fuji had a slender build, he still had considerable strength and could use it when he had to. Anyhow, it wasn't too uncomfortable, especially when he leaned back to rest his head against Fuji's shoulders. His head unconsciously found the crook between Fuji's neck and collarbone, where he snuggled into it.

Fuji smiled at the younger boy. _You're so adorable…reminds me of a cat._ He slipped both of his arms underneath Ryoma's to clasp around the front.

Ryoma's body instinctively tensed up at the unintentional restraints. "F-Fuji! What—?"

"Please, just let me hold you like this for a while," Fuji murmured softly into Ryoma's ear. "It's not often that I can relax so easily."

"Fine," Ryoma grumbled, but Fuji knew it was in good nature. He settled himself more comfortably in Fuji's lap. He couldn't see it, but if he had looked up he would've seen Fuji with the softest smile and eyes open, the blue still luminous even in the shade of the small tree.

It didn't take long before Ryoma fell asleep, his breathing deep and heavy as he relaxed completely in Fuji's lap. Fuji was somewhat surprised at this turn of events as he turned his head to look down at the boy. _My, his lashes are so long._ They were easy to spot, as they contrasted sharply against the lightly tanned skin. The muscles of his face were peaceful for once, thus giving him a more childish look. It disturbed Fuji a bit to know that Ryoma was far more mature in spirit and mind than his features belayed. _You're too cute! _Fuji thought as he rubbed a cheek against the top of Ryoma's head. To this, Ryoma shifted until his back was to the outside and his front was facing inwardly. At this point, Fuji removed his arms to make it more comfortable for Ryoma, and began to stroke the silky dark locks.

_We're both content like this, without the trivial troubles of society and obligations to stand in the way…why can't our lives be like this?_ Lulled into contentment, Fuji unknowingly fell asleep, his arms encircled possessively around Ryoma.

* * *

"Fuji."

The other stirred slightly, but was still in slumber.

"Oi, Fuji!"

The eyelashes slowly fluttered as his eyes opened to show a gleam of blue. _This has to be heaven,_ Fuji thought. He had apparently fallen asleep with Ryoma on his lap, and the other hadn't run away. Even better, Ryoma was still in close proximity. _Very _close, in fact. He was admiring the curve of the other's mouth; the full lower lip that he personally knew was as soft as it looked. Oh, he couldn't wait to see it slightly parted, with short tortured gasps coming out while lightly breathing his name…

Ryoma saw the eyes glazing over, sensing the lust and possessiveness behind it. Unconsciously shivering, he stood up abruptly, breaking the state that Fuji was held in. "The sun is setting," he said, trying for a neutral tone. "It won't be long before it gets dark."

Fuji stood up gracefully, lightly brushing off the few strands of grass that had strayed onto his clothes. "I suppose you're right," he replied, his eyes closed off once more. "I'll walk you home."

Knowing better than to object—for he knew that would get him nowhere and it was pointless to waste his energy trying—the two set off in the direction of Ryoma's apartment.

When they reached it, they saw that Rinko was struggling with two large, bulky grocery bags. Fuji immediately went to help her.

"Echizen-san, please, let me assist you," he said, reaching out to grab one of the bags.

"Fuji-san? What are you doing here?" she asked curiously, and then seemed to realize the discourteousness of her question. "Oh, please forgive me. I mean, thank you." Ryoma had taken the other bag silently.

The two bags were set on the kitchen counter before Fuji said anything else.

"Well, I had some free time today, and I decided to come over and see Ryoma. Seeing as how he enjoyed my company so much, I relented to stay with him." He gave a contented sigh. "We had such a good time that we didn't notice that night was approaching. Fast, it seems," he said, looking out a window to see that the sky was an inky shade of blue. "Alas, it will be hard for me to walk home as it is right." His tone was distressed, hinting at the dangers the cover of darkness could hide.

Before Ryoma could say anything, Rinko spoke first.

"Why don't you stay here for tonight? It wouldn't be to hard to set up an extra futon next to Ryoma's," she said cheerfully as she began to start dinner. "I'm sure he won't mind. And it would be nice to have some company for a change," she added on. "It's rare for Ryoma to bring home friends."

A little put out that he had no say in the matter, Ryoma practically dragged Fuji to his room and shut the door.

Fuji surveyed the room. It was small, but very tidy and clean. In place of a bed, Ryoma had a futon. The old but sturdy desk had a few books in a neat pile and a few papers lying on top, along with an inexpensive black table lamp. A chair was neatly pushed in, a dirty white cushion with brown stains laid upon the seat. Before he could scrutinize things further, he noticed that Ryoma couldn't stay silent any longer and so he turned his attention to him.

However, Fuji was greatly surprised when Ryoma didn't proceed by shouting in outrage. Instead, the younger boy seemed to be more in control of his emotions. "You planned this all out, didn't you?" Ryoma asked, seemingly resigned to that fact. He didn't even argue with the fact that Fuji had cleverly manipulated his mother into letting him sleep over, or even with Fuji changing a few of the details in his story.

"You don't seem to upset about this," Fuji said, smiling. His eyes were drawn over to the chair. _Something about it was out of place…_

Ryoma gave a shrug. "It's rather pointless to argue about it, since you seem so genuinely happy about it. Plus, okaa-san already invited you, so it would be rude to send you home." He walked over to the chair and picked up the cushion. It was at this point, when Fuji saw the two blue eyes, that he realized what he had mistaken as a scruffy cushion was really a scruffy cat. The brown stains turned out to be the paws, ears, and one large bushy tail. Noticing the way Ryoma tenderly hugged the cat, he decided it would be best not to say anything about his misjudgment.

However, he felt a slight twinge of jealousy towards the cat. It wasn't everyday that he'd get to see Ryoma completely relaxed and perhaps even a little playful. The other's smile was softer around the edges, unforced. The eyes were sparkling and the golden orbs luminous with happiness. _I don't think he's ever been this relaxed with me before…_ Realizing the fact that he had just compared himself to a cat, he let out a mirthless laugh. Fuji dropped down to sit cross-legged on the futon, using his arms to support himself.

"Fuji?" Ryoma asked. Still holding his cat, he moved to sit by Fuji, whose eyes were half open right now. The sharp blue gaze was currently directed at the floor. "Fuji?" he asked once more, this time a little worried.

"Ne, Ryoma. Tell me honestly," Fuji said. "Do you really want me to stay here?" What he really wanted to ask was: _why don't you care about what I do? _Ryoma's indifference hurt a lot. Fuji couldn't understand why, but it just did.

Ryoma looked over, startled at the straightforwardness of the question. Fuji was still looking in the same direction. _Look at me,_ he wanted to say. But instead he said in a practical tone, "Well, it would be rude to send you back right now. Okaa-san is already cooking a dinner for three."

"I don't care about that right now. I asked, do _you_ want me to stay?" Fuji said softly.

"Yeah," he replied softly as well and without hesitation. If Fuji had looked over, he would've seen Ryoma blushing a bit in discomfort. Ryoma wasn't a kind of person to beat around the bush, but this was getting a little close to a confession. "Besides," Ryoma added. "Karupin seems to like you." The Himalayan had disentangled himself from Ryoma's arms and had padded over to Fuji, sniffing the other's scent. Apparently satisfied, Karupin settled comfortably in the Fuji's lap and looked ready for a long nap. Needless to say, Fuji automatically fell in love with Karupin. He stroked the Karupin's thick but surprisingly well-groomed fur, silently laughing at his previous jealousness of the cat.

A smile had unconsciously found it's way to Fuji, Ryoma noticed. He took in the scene of Fuji gently stroking Karupin, and couldn't help but fall deeper in love with him. It was too late to turn back and Ryoma knew it, but for some strange reason, he didn't care at all.

"Karupin has that effect on everyone," Ryoma said to Fuji, who realized that he had a silly grin plastered on his face.

"I'm sure he does," he replied, undoubting. The Himalayan had started to purr contentedly in his lap, and he felt the timbre of it resonating throughout his body.

"Ryoma, Fuji-san, dinner is ready," Rinko called out.

The two of them stood up, with Karupin in Fuji's arm. When they reached the small, circular plastic table, they seated themselves as Karupin wandered off to his dinner.

"Itadakimas," the three of them chorused together.

* * *

The extra futon was laid out for Fuji in Ryoma's room, making it seemingly more crowded than ever. The lights were off, and Ryoma was attempting to sleep but having Fuji so close by prevented him from doing so.

As if hearing his thoughts, Fuji slipped into Ryoma's futon and under the covers.

"Fuji!" Ryoma exclaimed, surprised. Remembering that it was nighttime and other people were sleeping already, he asked in a whisper, "What are you doing!"

"It's so lonely there on my futon, so I decided to join you," Fuji replied happily. "Plus, if we sleep together, we can keep each other warm."

"It's the middle of summer," Ryoma said deadpanned. "It's warm enough as it is."

"Which brings us back to the fact that I'm lonely."

"…Fine…" Ryoma turned his back to Fuji, determined to try and get some sleep. "You realize, though, that this futon was made for one person?" he added on.

Fuji only smiled contentedly in the darkness, spooning himself against Ryoma. He draped an arm over Ryoma's slim hips. He was in wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt borrowed from Ryoma, and luckily he was slender as well, so it wasn't too bad. The shorts were a little, well, _short,_ but it was to be expected.

"Good night, Ryoma," he said.

"Good night, Fuji," Ryoma replied, knowing that if he didn't, Fuji would continue to annoy him until he did so.

"Ne, Ryoma, call me Syusuke," Fuji said.

Ryoma rolled his eyes even though he knew the other couldn't see, but was secretly pleased inside. "Good night, Syusuke," he said, trying out the foreign word.

Fuji squeezed him tightly once in happiness at hearing Ryoma call him by his first name.

"Good night."

* * *

A/N-I know! It took so long to finish this one chapter. I just hope the readers haven't given up on me and left me for dead.

It's moving rather slower than usual in this chapter, but only because it's setting up the rest of the story. Well, that's how I feel. But I promise it's only going to pick up speed in the next chapter, where some action will actually take place (no, not _that _kind. Well, not yet, at least).

This is also in my profile, but then I think I'd actually get a response if I put this in the end. Do you guys want smut in this and have it move to the M rating? Or skip over the smut scene and keep it in the T rating? It's kind of inevitable that the two will actually become serious, so... you know where this is heading. Oh, and this is for _future_ chapters, and I know for sure it won't be the next one. PM, in the review, by email if you don't have an account. It's all fine by me. I just want your opinions on this.

Don't forget to review so that the writer knows that their work is appreciated! (This applies to the works of other people as well, and not just me.)

-The Unreal Phantom


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Atobe Keigo was already an ambitious person since the day he was born, in both the fields of business and life. Whatever he desired, he got in some way or another. So, there were few things that interested him in life and even less that piqued his attention.

And so, when he stumbled upon Echizen Ryoma's profile online for the first time, needless to say, he was very interested and most certainly captivated.

"Well, well, well. This is very surprising," he said in his silky and smug voice. And he smirked.

* * *

"Ryoma," Rinko called out as the two of them were airing out their apartment in the middle of a warm afternoon. "Can you come over here and help me take down the dishes so that I can clean in the back of the shelf?"

"Sure." Walking over from where he was airing out the futon mattress, he took a stack down.

The two of them were silent for a moment as they worked. Then, suddenly, Rinko spoke up.

"What is Fuji Syusuke to you, Ryoma?" she asked in a neutral tone.

His eyes shot over to his mother's, surprised at such a direct question from her. "What do you mean?" he asked warily.

"It's just an ordinary question. I mean, recently you've seen to have taken a liking to him," she responded.

"Then I guess that means I like him a lot." He blinked at the sudden realization that hit him at his unintentional confession. "Still…no one has ever stayed with me after learning about who I truly am," he said softly. "I don't know if he will."

His voice was full of regret, and Rinko caught it. She decided that it was probably best to move on to another subject.

* * *

_Echizen Ryoma-_

_It seems that we meet again, and this time under stranger circumstances. Are you really offering yourself up to the highest bidder? I'm sure this would make Syusuke-kun so sad to hear of this…_

The smugness and glee behind this was so thick that it was nearly tangible enough to be felt.

…_He cares for you so deeply, and yet you're acting the part of a boy in heat. I have no qualms about your indiscriminate choice of bed partners, however. I'm even willing to pay quite a considerable amount if you make the choice to warm my bed. Think about it, and choose wisely._

_-Atobe Keigo_

Ryoma's first reaction was one of shock at the fact that Atobe Keigo had found his profile online and had sent him a message. However, rereading the message, there was something else that held him in even more surprise.

…_He cares for you so deeply…_

He sat against the wall in his room, his head tilted upwards towards the ceiling at his predicament. Ryoma's mind was deep in thought as he reviewed the situation.

_Looking at this from a neutral point of view, this may be the best case circumstance I'll ever be in. _

_But what about Fu—Syusuke? He's going to be hurt badly if I use this opportunity, even if it is to my advantage._

_What about my job? Nothing is supposed to get in the way of it, including love from a client._

_But…is Syusuke still a client? Everything that he's done for me has been so thoughtful, so sweet._

_I…I can't let down now. Family comes first. I have to get revenge for okaa-san…_

"Arghhh!" Ryoma let out a frustrated cry in the privacy of his room, grateful that his mother wasn't home at the moment. The steps he had taken in order to get to his current position were hard enough. Having to break away from Fuji, the one he actually had a speck of hope of having a true relationship with…it hurt the most.

Sitting down at his desk, he typed his response.

_I accept your offer. _

* * *

"Ryoma, are you alright, dear?" Rinko asked her son worriedly. "You look so pale, and you haven't had an appetite the last couple of days."

Indeed, he didn't look like his usual self. His eyes were dull—mostly due to the lack of sleep—and anything he could stomach—which wasn't much—was barely enough to keep him going. He kept assuring himself that nothing would change. However, deep inside, his conscience knew that life would never be the same anymore.

_I was never meant to have a happy life. But why do I have to suffer so much, and okaa-san, too?_

"I'm fine," Ryoma replied. "Really. It's a minor sickness, that's all." Still, his mother did not look entirely convinced, so he made the pretense of picking up a larger heap of rice and chewing it vigorously. "See?" he said through a full mouth.

"If you say so," Rinko said. Disbelief was still on her face, and she worried for her son. She knew that he was up to something, but what it was, she did not know. "But, please, try to eat a little more, love."

Nodding as to agree with her, he tried to eat the nori with artificial gusto.

The next day, he laid on his bed looking and feeling completely miserable at the thought of having to meet with Atobe in three more days. Karupin was meowing worriedly and pawing at his arm, wanting attention and confused about Ryoma's condition. When the phone rang, Ryoma picked it up. "Hello?" he said with a dead voice.

"Ryoma? Is that you?"

Ryoma's eyes widened. "F-Fuji?"

"Ne, didn't I tell you to call me Syusuke?" Fuji questioned in a playful voice.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Ryoma replied distractedly.

"That's fine. Anyhow, Ryoma, I was thinking of inviting you to come over soon, so that I can take you to a new museum that just opened up," Fuji went on, unaware of Ryoma's discomfort in all his excitement. "I think you'll really like it. It has different showcases of history all throughout Japan, like through miniature models and up-to-scale models as well as interesting artifacts from the past. I'm sure it'll pique your interest."

Ryoma heard the excitement in Fuji's voice, and tried to act along, even though he knew it would only hurt Fuji more in the end if he did so. "So when is this?"

"In three days. Can you come?"

Sweat broke out on Ryoma's forehead as his stomach clenched uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, but I can't make it that day." It came out slowly, as though he wished he didn't have to say it at all.

"Why not?" Fuji asked curiously.

Ryoma's hand clenched tightly around the phone. "Because I have other plans already for that day," he replied softly. "I'm sorry," Ryoma whispered to Fuji. "Really, I am."

On the other side of the phone, Fuji blinked in confusion. _Why is he apologizing so seriously? _"That's fine, Ryoma. We can always reschedule for another day if you'd like. I don't mind."

When Ryoma did not reply, Fuji asked, "Ryoma? Is something wrong?"

Ryoma shook his head sadly, though he knew Fuji couldn't see it. "No. Nothing is wrong. I just don't think I can ever go with you to the museum."

Fuji heard, and he was a little panicked now by Ryoma's strange responses. "Is it an issue about the price? Because I was planning to pay for you, so you wouldn't have to worry about it, you know." Something was different, though he didn't know what.

"It's not about the money, Syusuke," Ryoma replied with a wistful smile full of sorrow.

"Then what's wrong, Ryoma? Tell me." His eyes were open, and he was serious now.

Ryoma shivered a little. "Nothing, really."

"I'm coming down to see you, Ryoma," Fuji suddenly said. "Wait for me and don't leave." It wasn't a question or even a request. It was a command.

When Fuji hung up, Ryoma slowly let the phone drop into the cradle of the receiver, unable to move as he tried to think about the coming confrontation, and how to deal with it. It all seemed impossible, and his life was unraveling around him at an alarming rate.

And when Fuji knocked on the door, he still had no idea how to deal with him. He opened it slowly, as if buying more time would solve his problems.

"Ryoma? Thank goodness you're all right. I though something serious had happened." Fuji moved inside and gave Ryoma a tight hug, enclosing the younger boy within his arms. "Wait. Your mother is fine, right?" he asked, his voice coming out somewhere above Ryoma's head.

"She's fine," Ryoma replied. His arms stayed down by his sides, unable to reach up and embrace Fuji.

"Then what's wrong?" Fuji asked, concerned as he pulled away to look at Ryoma's face.

"Everything is fine. I'm just a little busy." His head felt too heavy to hold up, and there was a strange pain in his chest that he'd never felt before.

"Then look at me and tell me again," Fuji said as he tilted Ryoma's chin up, forcing him to look into his open eyes. The two of them were close enough so that it prevented Ryoma from looking at anything else except at Fuji's exposed eyes. He felt himself falling into their depths, drowning within the emotions that they withheld. Ryoma started to panic as he felt his own feelings going out of control. He tried to wrench his chin away from Fuji's hold, but was unsuccessful in doing so.

"Don't fight me," Fuji said softly before his lips descended gently upon Ryoma's. He never pushed the kiss further, keeping it chaste. Ryoma felt the affection and warmth behind it, though he wished instead that Fuji had tried to forcefully kiss him. That way, he could at least try and delude himself that he didn't hold any feelings for him. However, that kiss was the sweetest thing that had happened to him since as long as he could remember, and he felt himself unable to pull away from Fuji.

Fuji, however, was the first to pull away, knowing that he had to before the two of them would go beyond their control and never turn back. Ryoma staggered a little back, and was very surprised to feel disappointment as well as a little lightheaded.

"Please tell me what's going on," Fuji asked Ryoma.

Numbly, Ryoma shook his head. "I can't."

"Why can't you trust me, Ryoma! I would never hurt you. Can't you understand that!"

Ryoma finally looked up from the ground and right into Fuji's eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

The pain and anguish within Fuji finally tore out of its hold, emotions that he had caused to those around him countless times, but never ones that he had felt himself. It was a strange sensation for him, as if his chest had a vice on it and was being crushed. Tears fell from his eyes, and he brushed them away angrily. He was frustrated with Ryoma's lack of action to his own. Turning away quickly, he strode out of the door.

Ryoma turned his eyes back onto the floor, his ears strangely attune to the sounds of the tire pulling away on the gravel road and the engine's rumble as it pulled the car away. When he looked up once more, Fuji was gone and the tears in his eyes had spilled over onto his cheeks.

* * *

Three days later, Ryoma stood in front of an expansive and stylish mansion.

"Welcome, Echizen Ryoma, to my humble abode," Atobe spoke from the doorway, leaning upon the frame.

For a second, when Ryoma was about to take a step towards Atobe, there was a moment of hesitation; a moment in which there was a chance he could still back out and head in the opposite direction. But, remembering the look of anguish on Fuji's features, he broke through that hesitation and walked in through the double doors.

Atobe smirked, and the doors shut with an air of finality behind him.

* * *

A/N- I suppose that this chapter could have more in it (if you know what I mean ), but I still need to put in one last warning about the smut, which will be appearing in the next chapter. It will not be hard-core smut (one, because it's not allowed, and two, because I'm not that kind of writer). But I will be putting enough to have to move this story to the M section. I suppose, if you're still pure and innocent (but highly doubtful that anyone is after reading about shounen ai), I could modify a copy of the last upcoming couple chapters so that there is no smut, but only shadowy suggestions of it. I'd be more than happy to.

Anyhow, enjoy. And show your love, because it makes me feel all warm inside.

-The Unreal Phantom


	8. Chapter 8

_Warning:_ Rated M for drug usage and some scenes with, err…rather inappropriate themes for minors.

**Chapter 8**

"Please, sit down and enjoy the meal," Atobe said graciously, indicating an ornate armchair for Ryoma.

Ryoma sat down slowly, somewhat suspicious of the situation as one of the butlers pushed the chair in. Atobe seated himself directly across Ryoma at the small, private dining table currently holding two sets of fine silverware. With one snap from Atobe's fingers, Ryoma found a steaming bowl of soup instantly in front of him. Randomly, he picked up a spoon from the multitude of utensils and was about to dip it into the bowl when he heard a whisper in his ear.

"The one to the left of it, sir," a voice spoke from behind him.

Hastily, Ryoma replaced his current spoon and picked up the correct one, internally grateful to his benefactor. He began to drink the soup, hoping that no one else noticed, especially not Atobe.

Unfortunately for him, Atobe's eyes were extremely perceptive. He saw the mistake and even noticed the slight blush on Ryoma's face. He saw how uncomfortable the other was, so he tried to engage Ryoma in a conversation.

"Are you enjoying the soup?" Atobe asked, somewhat regally.

"It's okay," Ryoma replied. He guessed that it was probably extremely costly, but it didn't taste all that special to him. _Okaa-san's broth tastes much better. _Of course, being the polite person that he was, he continued to spoon in more of the bland soup.

Atobe raised one elegant eyebrow at Ryoma's response, waiting for a little more. When nothing came, he became somewhat irked. Still, he was able to entertain himself just looking at Ryoma's features.

_My, what long lashes you have,_ Atobe noticed as Ryoma's eyes were trained mostly upon the table. _And what full lips you possess. _His own eyes roved over Ryoma approvingly. From what he could see at the moment, it was all extremely pleasing to the eye. _I can't wait to see what you would look like without anything covering that beautiful form of yours._

Ryoma felt the stares burning into him, and fidgeted uncomfortably. Now that he was finished with the soup, he had no excuse to look at what he deemed the most interesting tablecloth he'd ever seen so far. Having nowhere else to look, he stared back at Atobe with what he had hoped was a bored and arrogant look.

"What?" he asked abruptly.

Atobe raised an eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean?"

"You keep staring at me," Ryoma stated bluntly.

"Well, I bought you for the night. Therefore, what I wish to do with you is completely up to me. You don't have a say in the matter, now do you?"

The way Atobe said it caused Ryoma to shiver slightly. The way it was phrased…it was as if he was a piece of property that was sold to the highest bidder.

Ryoma turned his eyes away. "No," he replied back softly, back in his submissive personality that was fit to one in his position. Mentally, he cursed himself for letting his personality of wanting to challenge others get in the way. He had a job to do, and if that meant letting his pride get bruised once or twice, then that would have to do.

Surprise and a feeling of euphoria came up in Atobe as he found out that the feeling of controlling Ryoma was indeed to his liking. Snapping his fingers, a butler appeared suddenly at his side. He whispered a few short words to the butler, who immediately nodded and headed off.

When Ryoma looked over curiously for a second, he smoothly said, "I've made a change to the main course. Ah, here it is." A small bottle of wine was opened and their glasses were filled with the deep crimson liquid. "This is a particularly good year, in my opinion. Perhaps one of the best." When he held the glass to the light, it light up with a fiery brilliance, turning into a shade of a clear ruby crystal. "Why don't you try it? If it's not to your liking, then I can open another bottle for you."

Ryoma took the glass hesitantly, aware of the fact that the bottle was probably extremely expensive. The first experience left a strong, fruity aftertaste in his mouth, not at all unpleasant. "It's good," he murmured surprisingly, taking another sip. This time, he took the time to savor the flavor, thoroughly tasting it. "It's really good." He drained it, blinking surprisingly at the empty glass.

With another snap from Atobe's fingers, the glass was immediately refilled. "Please, don't hesitate to have more. It's not often that I can share this particular bottle with others."

Ryoma took another sip from the newly refilled glass, his head getting a little cloudy now. Normally, he would've been suspicious of this. However, something was blocking his judgment and prevented him from thinking clearly. If he were still thinking clearly, he would've noticed the fact that Atobe never once took a sip from his own glass. And the fact that there was a gloating smile lurking at the corners of those perfect lips.

The last thing that Ryoma took in was the glint of glee from the dove-gray eyes. And then the rest of the evening was taken up with a cloud of haziness and ambiguity.

* * *

Fuji was extremely worried about Ryoma, despite what had happened between the two of them just three days before. If it were anybody else, he probably wouldn't care at all, leaving the other person behind with no feelings of guilt whatsoever. However, this was Ryoma. Something about the younger boy changed him. He had accepted the change gladly, but now there was something that came with the change that he never anticipated and didn't like the feelings it gave him. 

Guilt, and a wracking ache that pulled at his heart painfully.

He was very shocked to feel that sort of emotion, having never experienced it before. _Is this what it's like to love someone? But…what if they don't return your feelings? _He preferred not to dwell on those thoughts at the moment. _I have to find him. I have a feeling that something is wrong._ Plus, Fuji wanted the pain to go away. It was really uncomfortable. He figured that if he confessed to Ryoma the way he truly felt about him, then it would ease and his life would be back to normal once more.

He dialed Ryoma's house number, waiting impatiently for Ryoma to pick up.

"Hello?" However, the voice that answered was not who Fuji expected it to be.

"This is the Echizen household. How may I help you?" It was a feminine voice that spoke, and a somewhat familiar one.

"Ah, Echizen-san? This is Fuji Syusuke. I'm looking for Ryoma. Is he over there?"

"Oh, I'm sorry to say that he isn't here at the moment. Is something the matter?" Rinko asked worriedly.

"Not that I know of." Fuji tried to keep his voice casual. "Do you have an idea of where he's at right now?"

"Well," Rinko replied, "he told me that he 'had some business to take care of' and that he would be staying overnight at someone else's house."

Fuji was still unclear about the picture that was being painted in his mind as she spoke. "Did he say who?"

Rinko shook her head sadly, but then recalled that they were speaking over a phone. "No, he didn't say. But, I don't think he mentioned that it was a friend, either." She heaved a sigh that was clearly heard by Fuji. "I think it's about time that I told you how I feel about Ryoma, Fuji-san. I'm not as clueless as he would want me to believe. To make a lengthy story short, a long time ago, Ryoma found out about a wrong that had been done to me in the past. I don't know exactly what he's been up to, but he's changed a lot from the cheery little boy that I once knew to a contemplative, mature young adult. He's up to something; I know that for a fact. The details of what he's doing, I have no idea of however. Still, I have a feeling that tonight is the conclusion of his planning. I'm extremely concerned about his whereabouts, but I can't go out to search for him. I was wondering if you would do me a favor and bring him back home soon. Something tells me that if he isn't back before tomorrow morning, I'll never see him again." Rinko finished her short explanation, hoping that Fuji would agree to help her. Even if she did find her son, she was uncertain of whether or not she would be able to persuade him to come home with her. From the way Ryoma had changed over the past few weeks since his first meeting with Fuji, the progress was amazing, and all were positive changes. That was also something that Ryoma didn't know about Rinko: she knew—most of the time—where her son was. This time, however, he had been more furtive about covering up his tracks and she really had no idea where he was at the moment. It worried her greatly. "Can you find him for me, Fuji-san?"

Fuji was silent for a moment, contemplating on the load of information that Rinko had just told him. He had his suspicions before talking to Rinko, and she only confirmed them even further. "I have a faint idea of where he might be, Echizen-san. But I'm not one-hundred percent sure that he's there."

"That's fine. It's better than having no idea where he is. Thank you, Fuji-san. You're doing me such a great favor," Rinko said in relief. If Fuji knew about Ryoma's shadier side and would still voluntarily stay by him, then she would have no refusal about having them together.

"Believe me, Echizen-san, that I will do all that is possible to bring him back as safely as I can." Fuji's voice was dark and ominous as he added on, "And if I am correct as to who is with him at the moment, then I'll make sure that he compensate for whatever he's done."

Even Rinko shivered a little when she heard this. She'd seen a lot of sinister things in life up to this point, having lived where she was right now, but the betoken malevolence hidden behind that angelic face that she had seen before truly chilled her. In her situation, most people would've wanted to stay as far away as possible from Fuji. But, then again, not many people had the chance to see the softer side of Fuji, where the normally ice-blue eyes were warmed to a cornflower shade. "I have no objections as to what you'll have to do to get him back. I just want to see my son again and—hopefully—in a good condition, Fuji-san."

"You have my word on it. Good-bye," Fuji said.

"Good-bye, Fuji-san, and good luck," Rinko replied.

"I won't need it." And he hung. Perhaps the last statement might've sounded cocky, but for Fuji, it wasn't too far from the truth. When he got serious, anyone getting in his way would only be a minor nuisance, nothing more.

_Hold on, Ryoma. I'm coming for you soon.

* * *

_

When Ryoma regained consciousness, the first thing he noticed was the slight headache he had. He groaned softly, raising his hand to his forehead as he sat up. _Where am I? _He looked around, looking at an elaborately decorated room with costly-looking furniture. When he looked down, he noticed that he was covered with a thick comforter. _What's going on? _Lifting the covers, he found out that he was wearing nothing at all. Blushing hotly, he looked around the large room, trying to find out where his clothes were and—more importantly—who the heck removed them in the first place. 

"Ah, I see you're finally awake, Echizen," a voice spoke from within a cover of darkness to his right.

Ryoma peered in that direction, letting his eyes adjust. _That silky, smug voice…it can't be anyone else but him. _"What did you do to me, Atobe?"

"Do? I didn't do anything." Atobe stepped out into the light, looking very smug indeed. "Well, not yet, at least."

That calculating voice made Ryoma regret his choice of ever coming here. Still, it wasn't his style to let others get the advantage on him. "You did pay, you know. I wouldn't have come here if you hadn't," he drawled in a bored tone. "There really isn't a point in drugging me just to take me to bed. That's the whole point of me coming here, isn't it?" His tone was somewhat mocking.

However, to Ryoma's surprise, Atobe only proceeded to chuckle lightly. "Au contraire, my dear Echizen. I know exactly what you're up to." He sat on the edge of the bed, a hand slipping to grasp Ryoma's chin, stroking a cheek softly. "The revenge for your mother. Did you want it so badly that you would even sacrifice your virginity to a complete stranger?"

Ryoma was taken completely by surprise as looked into those cold, gray eyes. He tried not to let it show as he replied in an uninterested tone. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, but I think you do. I think you know exactly what I'm talking about right now," Atobe drawled back. He pushed Ryoma back onto the bed while simultaneously pulling off the covers. "I won't let you win that easily."

Ryoma struggled, but found out that his body wasn't responding very strongly. "What's going on? Why can't I move?" He felt weak and fragile, unable to fight back against Atobe.

"It's the drug I slipped into the wine. I hadn't expected you to drink so much, so you were knocked out a little longer than I had anticipated. It doesn't matter, though," Atobe responded, his impatience apparent. "Everything is going accordingly."

Ryoma struggled once more, but it was futile. Even in his unweakened state, he probably would've been no match against Atobe's bigger build. "I don't want this anymore. Let me go!" He gasped out a little as Atobe started to arouse him against his will.

"Mmm…I don't think so. I want to watch you sink down in a cloud of lust, unable to defend yourself as your plan backfires," Atobe replied back. "Why don't we see how far we can get before you lose complete control to me?" Then his mouth descended upon Ryoma's, kissing him roughly even as his hand moved lower down on the slim body.

Even as Ryoma tried to break the kiss, his body betrayed his will, arousing even further to Atobe's touch. The moan that he was unable to hold back was lost in their kiss. He suddenly broke away, the gasp clearly audible as he felt Atobe slip something into him.

"Is this your first time using drugs as well?" Judging by Ryoma's reaction to it, Atobe guessed that it was. _All the better, then._ "I promise it'll make you feel good. Compulsorily, that is. When you give in to the pleasure, your face will make such a good picture."

_I don't want this. _Ryoma was in shock at what was happening to him. _I'm scared. Syusuke…where are you? Where are you?! _

He whimpered softly as Atobe fiercely bit down on his neck, sucking it and leaving a mark for all to see. "Save me…"

Atobe lifted his head, discontinuing his actions for the moment. "What did you say?" His voice was low, the dark tone menacing.

"…Syusuke, save me." Ryoma's eyes were tightly shut, his cheeks flushed with the physical pleasure he was being given—albeit against his will. "I don't want this any more," he gasped out.

Atobe was angry at the mention of Fuji's name. Angry that the prodigy of such a low-class family would be the one to have Ryoma's affections. "He won't be coming to save you. I'll bet he's even forgotten all about you by now." His hand clenched jealously around one of Ryoma's slim wrists, hard enough to leave a bruise. "You'll never be saved, especially not by the likes of him."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," a different voice suddenly spoke from behind Atobe.

Atobe looked back in surprise at the sudden intrusion. "Who is that? I thought I specifically stated that there would be no interruptions until I asked for it."

"I'm afraid that those orders don't apply to me, Atobe-_sama_," Fuji said in a scornful tone as he stepped out of the shadows, his stance stiff as he surveyed the scene. "I've never paid attention to you before. Why should I start now?"

Atobe's face was flushed in embarrassment and annoyance. "How did you get in here? Someone should've stopped you at least at the entrance."

"I have my methods. And I'm certainly not in the mood to share them with you at the moment," Fuji said in a low voice. "I believe that Ryoma asked you to stop. It would be wise for you to do so." He left the rest unsaid, certain that not even Atobe would miss the implication behind his words.

"No." Atobe's hand slipped to clasp Ryoma's neck. When he gave a small squeeze, Ryoma gasped out for air, clawing in vain at the hand, the bright golden eyes dimming as his life escaped him. "No! He is mine! If I can't have him, then you won't either." The gray eyes were bright and flashing fanatically.

Before Atobe could even react, Fuji was behind him with a small but extremely keen blade at his throat. "I know you, Atobe. You value your own skin above even your own family's. Now," Fuji said in his most ominous voice, "if you wish to live still, you'll let go of Ryoma. That way, I promise that I'll keep your death painless." When Atobe did not move, Fuji pressed the blade into his neck, drawing a thin line of scarlet.

"Fine!" Atobe spat out contemptuously, half of his anger arising from his fear. He released his hold on Ryoma, who rolled off the bed and onto the carpeted floor, gasping desperately for breath. When Fuji was about to finish the job, Ryoma spoke out.

"Syusuke, no!" he croaked out in a hoarse tone. "No…not yet."

Fuji looked at Ryoma in surprise. "He was just about to do the same thing to you." However, he left the blade at Atobe's throat in precaution.

Ryoma closed his eyes wearily. "I don't want to watch. I just…want to go home…with you."

Fuji dropped the blade from his throat. "Don't get me wrong. I would love to get the job finished right now, but I have more important things to get to right now," he stated venomously to Atobe.

"Come on, Ryoma, let's go home," Fuji directed in a softer tone towards Ryoma. He crouched by Ryoma's crumpled for on the floor. Slipping one arm beneath the neck and the other in the crook of the knees, he stood up.

Atobe looked at Fuji with a hand held up against the slash on his neck, unable to breath at the moment as he was mesmerized by the scene before him. Fuji looked like the very image of a fallen angel, vengeance mixed in with the beauty that only a saintly being would possess. The limp form in his arms only enhanced the fact that Ryoma was the only reason that those ice-blue eyes burned with an unearthly flame.

As Fuji walked out of the gates of the mansion, heading for the car, he felt Ryoma stirring in his arms. Looking down, he noticed that Ryoma was sweating profusely and whimpering softly, his cheeks flushed and looking extremely uncomfortable. When he let out a soft moan, Fuji's knees buckled a little. He took a deep breath, knowing that he had to stay calm and keep himself under control. It was extremely hard, as he had held in his urges for so long. Having Ryoma vulnerable within his arms certainly did nothing to help. When he reached the car, he gently helped Ryoma into the front passenger seat, worried about the fact that there was no further response or sign of consciousness. As Fuji slide into the driver's seat, he stated in a reassuring tone once more, "We'll be home soon, Ryoma. Hold on." He could only hope that Ryoma heard him.

Ryoma, meanwhile, was only semi-aware of the situation he was in. His mind was in a haze, unable to grasp things clearly. The blood rushed through him, heating up his body. Everything felt too hot, too uncomfortable. He felt the sweat on his body, but it didn't seem to help at all with cooling him off.

The car slowed to a gentle stop in front of Ryoma's dilapidated home. "Ne, Ryoma, we're here. Let's go in." Fuji placed a hand upon Ryoma's arm, but was suddenly surprised when he was pushed away violently. "Ryoma?"

Ryoma's eyes were clouded in shock as he recoiled away from the touch. "I'm…I'm sorry," he said in a wavering tone.

"Do you really dislike it that much when I touch you?" Fuji asked, his voice tinged with sadness.

Ryoma clenched his eyes shut, unable to look Fuji in the eye. He huddled in the seat, the thoughts of Atobe close to violating him invading his mind.

"_I promise it'll make you feel good. Compulsorily, that is. When you give in to the pleasure, your face will make such a good picture." It was because of the drug back then that I reacted to him…_

"I understand, Ryoma. If you don't want me anymore, then I'll leave right away. So, please, just bear with me until I get you back in safe and sound." Fuji paused here a moment to let the words sink in. "Okay?" When Ryoma loosened up slightly, Fuji took that as a sign that it was okay to touch him again. He gently picked him up once more in his arms, heading towards the apartment.

Ryoma couldn't help but withdraw a little at the contact. _I have to tell him the truth about me. But…if I talk now, I'll definitely say something inappropriate. _"…Nngh…" Ryoma whimpered a little, holding a hand to his face to muffle the sound as the other hand was clenched tightly in his lap, trying the hide the area where his discomfort was coming from.

Fuji saw all of that, but could say nothing. Heading inside of Ryoma's room, he lightly placed Ryoma on the bed and covered him with the comforter.

"Echizen-san, are you here?" he called out, trying to find her. However, when Fuji walked to the kitchen table for a glass of water, he saw a note on the table.

_Fuji-san,_

_I trust that you have Ryoma with you safe and sound. Please help him if he is hurt. I won't be here to disturb the two of you, so do what you have to. I will be back late afternoon._

_Take care,_

_Echizen Rinko_

"Do what…you have to. I wonder what she means by that," Fuji murmured to himself. However, holding the glass of water in his hand, he dispelled the thought and hurried back to the room.

"Here, Ryoma, drink some water. It'll make you feel better," Fuji said, leaving the glass on the side table at the head of the futon.

"…" Ryoma was lying down, his hands clenched tightly onto the pillow as the beads of sweat were apparent on his cheeks. His eyes were shadowed with doubt.

"…Is that so." Fuji started to turn away to leave the room. "If you need anything, just call me. I'll be awake."

At this moment, Ryoma whimpered, his voice filled with discomfort. "…mmph…"

"Did you say something?" Fuji headed back to the futon, bending over to hear things more clearly. Suddenly, he was enveloped by Ryoma in a tight hug as the slim arms wrapped around his neck. "Ryo—"

"Don't leave! Please…please! Ah…!" Ryoma cried out in distress, he breath coming out in short gasps. "Ah…I…I…"

"Ryoma," Fuji asked as he gently disentangled the arms embracing him. "Is it that unbearable? The drug?" His eyes were open, filled with regret. "I'm sorry to have gotten you involved with this."

_What did I just do…just now? _Ryoma's mind was in a haze, his body burning up. _…The drug?…_

Fuji headed towards the door once more. "It's not something that's going to last, but while it's still present in your body, it's going to be uncomfortable. But, please, just bear with it until the effects wear away."

Ryoma suddenly hopped off the futon, the covers layered around him as his hands clutched tightly upon them.

"Ryoma…"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry that I did something weird with him…but that's nothing. Really, it's nothing!…" _What did I just say? _He crumpled on the floor, his face angled downwards as he babbled on, drops of crystal tears trickling down from his eyes. "I couldn't take it anymore! Really, it's nothing. I'm sorry…" _I refused to do it with Atobe…but at a time like this…I'm the worst…_

_I hate myself._

Fuji, little by little, approached the bundle of covers huddled on the floor and crouched down. He gently placed a hand on the head of silky, dark locks, stroking it unconsciously. "Listen, Ryoma, this is completely the drug's fault. The things that you've said and done, they have nothing to do with your personality." He tilted Ryoma's head up, forcing the Ryoma to look him in his eyes to see that he was truly sincere about what he was saying. "The things that are going to happen later on are also the faults of the person that got you into this situation: me. You hold no responsibilities for what you've done. So, don't blame yourself. And there's no reason to scorn yourself. You're perfect that way you are in my eyes. I wouldn't want you to change in any aspect. Okay?" Fuji wiped away the tears as he once did in their first meeting, though this time he didn't have to taste them to know the pain that Ryoma had kept inside for so long. He pulled Ryoma into a hug, instead.

"Now, let me help you relieve you of your torment."

* * *

"Ahh…" Ryoma cried out softly as Fuji slowly pleasured him. His hands were clenched tightly on the sheets, his head turned to the side in embarrassment. 

The hot breath ghosted between his legs, making him shudder. The pain from the drug and the pleasure caused by Fuji together were an indescribable feeling. He suddenly threw back his head as he climaxed, moaning softly as the slender fingers stroked him.

"Fuji…you don't dislike me, do you?" he asked suddenly, his hands covering his face in awkwardness at having Fuji on top of him.

Fuji rose up in surprise. "What are you talking about? Of course not."

"Even though…you've seen a lot of my bad side…?" He slowly uncovered his face, wanting to look at Fuji when he answered.

Fuji blinked in surprise. "I was wondering what you were going to say all of a sudden, Ryoma," he said. "You know, that's actually my line."

Ryoma looked back in astonishment. "Eh?"

Fuji continued on. "Though I guess it's useless to tell you now, but I'm hundred times worse than you. Before I met you, you wouldn't even believe how bad I was." When Ryoma looked in slight disbelief, he added, "I'm not kidding. But everything changed today. You gave me a purpose in life when you asked me to save you. Even with the drug invading your body and altering your mind, you never gave in to Atobe. That's what really saved me: your complete faith in me, Ryoma."

"Fuji…" Ryoma spoke his name softly, a caress almost.

"Ne, Ryoma, I told you to call me Syusuke," Fuji said as he nuzzled between the crook of his neck, his tongue tracing a hot line from jaw to collarbone. He bit down on the neck right where Atobe had left his stain, marking Ryoma as his own as he elicited a gasp of pleasure from the body underneath him.

"Syusuke! Please, let me come!" Ryoma begged, his voice full of lust as he was aroused once more.

Fuji's eyes turned dark as his own lust emerged, the possessive streak in full control now. "You're so voracious, Ryoma," he said playfully. "I haven't even come once yet, and you want to have all the fun for yourself. That's not very nice, is it?"

Ryoma shuddered beneath him, his body taut as he arched upwards, wanting to just _feel_ something. However, Fuji was clever, and pulled away just enough so that it wasn't possible. "Please…!" Ryoma pleaded in a breathless voice.

"You know the consequences if I don't prepare you properly, Ryoma. Do you still want to continue?" Fuji arched a suggestive eyebrow, enjoying the feel of controlling Ryoma almost as much as playing with him. However, underneath that calm and laid back composure, his control was slowly deteriorating. _It won't be long until I can't hold myself back anymore._ He wanted Ryoma as much as Ryoma wanted him right now. He was just a better at controlling that desire. _I suppose that's one thing I can attribute as a positive to all those parties I had to go to._ Although, that sultry voice that Ryoma unconsciously used to call out his name had him close to breaking down. "Well, do you?"

"Yes. I don't care anymore!" A small part of Ryoma knew that he would regret this in the morning, but at the moment, he didn't care all that much. He just wanted Fuji, plain and simple. A loud moan of pleasure escaped him as Fuji stroked him once more. Embarrassed, he turned his head to the side wanted to look away from those piercing blue eyes that seemed to read him so easily.

"Look at me." Fuji said in a soft, yet commanding, tone. "There shouldn't be anymore secrets between the two of us anymore. You don't have to hide."

Ryoma gazed over hesitantly, his face flushed with pleasure and a slight discomfort. However, looking into Fuji's eyes, he knew that Fuji had already accepted his true character without question. "I'm looking, Syusuke."

"That's all I could ever ask for, Ryoma." And Fuji pierced into him in one quick motion. He nearly lost himself in the pleasure as he was enveloped in the tight, velvet heat. A wave of euphoria washed over him as he slowly began to rock his hips.

Ryoma had gasped when he was impaled by Fuji, the feeling completely foreign to him. Though he had trained for this day for a long time, he had no idea that it would feel like this. Books could only take a personal procedure so far, and they warned of pain in the beginning. However, he was able to experience the more intimate side with Fuji as they became one, moved as one, and felt one another's enjoyments. The pain quickly dissipated as the pleasure overrode all his senses, his mind filled with nothing except the physical sensations of the moment.

"Let yourself go, Ryoma. Give me your pain," Fuji said as he flipped their positions. "Share your sorrows with me." His placed his hands on Ryoma's hips, helping to keep his lover balanced atop him.

Trapped in the heat of the moment, Ryoma rode atop of Fuji, wanting to ride himself of the strange sensation caused by the drug as well desperately seeking deliverance in the act of intercourse with Fuji. "Nngh…" he cried out when Fuji began to stroke him once more. "More…!" He couldn't continue to speak as his thoughts became incoherent, his back arching as he threw his head back in ecstasy. "Ahh!" he cried out in pleasure.

Fuji pulled Ryoma down so that their faces were mere centimeters apart. "Ne, what's the magic word?" he whispered teasingly even as his hand continued to move rhythmically in time with his thrusts.

"Please, Syusuke!" Ryoma cried out, his hips never still. And he planted a deep, passionate kiss on those lips, unashamed as he did so.

"As you wish." And Fuji complied.

* * *

Early morning came, and Ryoma found himself curled into the crook of Fuji's body, with one of Fuji's arms draped tenderly over his waist. Not wanting to disturb Fuji's sleep, he rolled over and gently disentangled himself. However, he forgot that his futon—made for just one person—had to hold Fuji as well this time. He yelped out in surprise as he hit the floor with a thump, momentarily stunned as the breath was knocked out of him. 

"Ryoma?!" Fuji was alarmed as he woke up to find his love not beside him. _What if he left me again? _A stab of fear ran through him as he sat up quickly.

"Over here," replied Ryoma breathlessly from on the floor. Luckily, the drop wasn't too far of a distance, so Ryoma only had the wind knocked out of his body.

Fuji leaned over the side of the bed, only to be met with the picture of Ryoma on his back with absolutely nothing covering that delicate body. His eyes opened in approval, sparkling with amusement. "I appreciate the fact that you want to continue with where we left off last night. Normally, I wouldn't mind continuing on right now, but you'll get a cold if you carry on without covering your body up, since it's so early in the morning." He continued on as nonchalantly as he could. "I would've thought you'd be exhausted, seeing as how you came four times yesterday. Was it really that pleasurable?" He quirked an eyebrow, he eyes raking appreciatively over Ryoma's body slowly from his head to his toes, and back up again in an unreserved manner.

Ryoma flushed at the detailed assessment, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "Baka!" He sat up and reached for a cushion that had fallen off the bed to toss at Fuji, but had to stop as a pain in his lower back prevented him from doing so. "Ah!" he cried out, unable to move.

"Ryoma, are you okay?" Fuji asked in concern as he hoped out of bed. "Does your back hurt?"

"Of course it hurts!" Ryoma retorted in embarrassment as Fuji picked him up and carried him back onto the futon, covering him with the sheets. "We did it so much yesterday, and you wouldn't stop."

"Well, if I recall correctly," Fuji replied amusingly, "you kept calling out 'more, more' all the time. And in such a sexy voice. I couldn't resist your commands. What else could I do but to obey?" He slipped under the covers to join Ryoma, nestling closely.

Though he made a dry response, he nonetheless made no effort to move away from Fuji. "That wasn't me. It was the drug, remember?"

"Oh, really?" A slender hand moved on Ryoma's thighs, stroking and caressing as it worked higher and higher up. "Are you sure that wasn't just your body being honest?"

"No, Syusuke, no more! I'm still tired from last night," Ryoma begged as that skillful hand began to fondle him. "Ahh…!"

"You're saying no, but your body's betraying your words. It's very truthful," Fuji remarked as he continued on, seemingly oblivious to Ryoma's pleas to stop.

An hour later, Fuji and Ryoma were still in bed, the latter even more exhausted than when he had first woken up.

_This is why I didn't want to wake you up,_ Ryoma thought grumpily in his head. He couldn't move as his body lay languidly on the bed, drained of all its energy.

"Well, I'll get us some breakfast now," Fuji said cheerfully as he hopped off the futon and put on a spare shirt and shorts. "Just stay underneath the covers, since your back isn't, well, up to the strains of walking." He stroked Ryoma's hair lovingly, who only glared balefully at him before turning away. Knowing that Ryoma still loved him, he smiled happily as he moved to the kitchen to prepare a small breakfast for his beloved.

Before long, he had a tray filled with what he presumed was Ryoma's favorites. "Here you go, Ryoma," he said as he carried it into the room. "You'll need your strength soon if you want to keep up, you know."

Ignoring the implied message, Ryoma sat up slowly, wincing at the pain.

"I can feed you if you'd like. I don't mind," Fuji said in a suggestive voice as he watched him.

Ryoma cast over a look, wary of the glint lurking at the corner of those sapphire eyes. "It's fine. I can take care of myself." As the tray was placed on his lap, he realized that he was actually very ravenous at this point. He dug in with relish, noting the fact that it was very well made.

Fuji sat on the futon beside Ryoma, content at just gazing while Ryoma ate. "Ne, Ryoma, you've got a piece of rice on your face."

Ryoma blinked. "Where?"

"Right here." Fuji leaned over, licking the grain off with his tongue. "Mmm…delicious."

Ryoma flushed a bit. "That wasn't necessary, you know," Ryoma said. He continued to eat, however.

In a short amount of time, the food was mostly gone, and Ryoma was content.

"Saa…so you want to tell me why you went over to Atobe's?" Fuji's voice suddenly broke through the silence.

There was a moment of silence as Ryoma froze, unable to respond as he unconsciously began to draw away.

"Please, Ryoma, you owe me this much. We promised each other that there wouldn't be any more secrets between the two of us. I'm willing to keep that promise. Aren't you?" Fuji faced him, his eyes sad at the fact that Ryoma had stiffened.

Ryoma had to force himself to relax as he took a deep breath. "It's a somewhat long explanation. Do you still want to hear it?" He glanced over at Fuji somewhat hesitantly, his voice soft.

Fuji gave a small, succinct nod, saying nothing.

Ryoma took another deep breath before starting. "As you know, my mother and I have lived together for as long as I could remember. We've never been extremely wealthy or prosperous." His voice, though faltering in the beginning, began to gain a little in strength. "There was a point in my life when she had to take on an odd job or two along with her part-time job. I was too young to understand what that job was exactly. All I knew was that she hated doing it, because every time she went out, there was that look of sadness in her eyes. " Ryoma's head was down, his locks shadowing his face as related his history to Fuji at last. "I later found out that she was selling her body to support the two of us. Like I said before, though, I had no idea that she was doing so at the time, just that she'd come home tired and disheveled. However, one morning she came back covered in bruises. I was angry, partly at the person who'd inflicted those upon her and partly at myself, because she was doing this mainly so that we could survive."

_Saa…so this is where his self-hatred comes from._ Fuji stayed silent, however, not wanting to interrupt in case Ryoma stopped. He only gave the occasional nod to show that he was listening.

"I managed to find out who her patron was that night. It was…Atobe-sama." Ryoma looked up at Fuji when he heard the sharp gasp of surprise. "The father, not the son, though. He had offered such a good price that she couldn't refuse the request. However, he never mentioned that he had a tendency to hurt others. I suppose you could call him somewhat of a sadist. In any case, my mother couldn't tell anyone about it. Who could she tell? The police? They wouldn't listen to someone in her position, much less believe her story," Ryoma said bitterly, his voice cold with distaste at the memories that were coming up. "I trained myself in the arts of the bed for five long years, forcing myself to learn of its secrets and techniques so that I could exact retribution on the Atobe family, but I had to keep it behind my mother's back. That's something I didn't wish to do, but had no choice in the matter. I knew she would question me and make me stop if she ever found out. You know what happened after that." Ryoma left the rest unsaid, falling into silence at last. He had never spoken so much in before in such a short period of time. But, then again, no one had really asked him to speak up. Not until Fuji, anyhow.

Fuji was silent for a moment before he spoke up. "But why me? I'm not exactly related to Atobe."

"Any member of one of the high-class families would have worked fine, as you all have contacts with Atobe and his family at some point. It was your misfortune that you answered my bait." Ryoma couldn't look up. "I used you, Fuji," he said softly, the tinge of regret clearly audible in his voice. "I used you."

There was a sound of a creak from the mattress as Fuji stood up slowly and walked to the wall with his back facing Ryoma, his face hidden so that its expression could not be seen. The silence was extremely awkward for Ryoma, who was waiting to see Fuji's reaction to his confession.

Suddenly, a soft _meow_ came from next to Fuji's foot. Fuji, a little startled, instinctively picked up Karupin and began to stroke him softly. His head was down, and all his attention seemed to be on the feline in his arms. After what seemed to be an eternity, he finally spoke up.

"Do you know how and why cats purr, Ryoma?" His voice was neutral, controlled so that his emotions weren't shown. However, it chilled a lot more than if he had shouted at Ryoma.

Ryoma blinked in surprise. "Eh?" That wasn't what he was expecting to hear from Fuji. But, then again, Fuji wasn't the normal run-of-the-mill aristocrat. "How?" He decided to humor Fuji, to see where this was leading.

"Actually, no one really knows how the purr is produced. Some say that the purr is produced by the vibration of blood in a large vein in the chest area. Others think that the purring is the vibrations of membranes located near the vocal cords. As for why, no one knows for sure why a cat purrs, but many like to interpret the sound as one of contentment." Fuji had turned around when he spoke, his face impassive and eyes shut as he continued to pat Karupin. "What do you think?"

Ryoma was confused by the sudden turn of events. Confused because of the random information, but—most of all—bewildered by Fuji's reaction, which he had expected to be rage. "I—I guess," he replied in his usual succinct answer to a question. He didn't like this side of Fuji. A small part of him would've actually have preferred to have Fuji shouting or violent. But not this…coldness.

"Though I don't know how it's produced, I personally like to believe that cats purr because they're satisfied with life and want nothing else in the world." When he stopped talking, the room was filled with the audible hum of the purr coming from Karupin, whose eyes were half-lidded in content. Karupin looked truly at ease and blissful as Fuji continued to stroke its fur.

Ryoma unconsciously moved closer to Fuji when he sat back down on the bed in a cross-legged position, with Karupin in his lap now. He made no move to touch Fuji, however, merely focusing on that slender hand that stroked Karupin, occasionally scratching behind the ears. The fingers were long, beautiful in a way. Ryoma suddenly found himself wishing that it were him that was in Fuji's lap, with those hands paying attention to him instead of to Karupin.

"I do believe that Karupin has fallen asleep," Fuji said suddenly. Karupin was, indeed, asleep in his lap, the bushy tail curled around the body so that it appeared to be a cushion once more. He picked up Karupin and gently placed the cat to the side so that it could continue its slumber in peace. "Your turn," Fuji said, indicating his lap as the destination.

Somewhat wary of what Fuji was going to do, Ryoma moved onto his lap a bit hesitantly. He was wondering what Fuji was up to, and perhaps it may not be good for his own health. However, he was extremely surprised that Fuji only stroked his head lightly when he had settled himself in a comfortable position. Those fingers that he had observed so closely before were now raking through his hair lightly. The sensation induced him into a state of relaxation, his eyes closing in enjoyment and contentment. Instinctively, and without really noticing it himself, he leaned in closer to Fuji so that his head was resting comfortably in the crook between the neck and the shoulder.

However, Fuji noticed the change in Ryoma. After some time, he spoke up.

"I think your situation is somewhat similar, Ryoma. I may not have known at the time why you were with me, but just your presence helped to sooth me. Even though you can't exactly purr to show that you're happy, it's something that I can tell about you, anyways."

"So…you'll forgive me?" Ryoma asked tentatively, looking up at Fuji's face.

"Well, eventually I will," Fuji replied. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not very happy about this at all. This isn't something that I can forgive and forget within a day, or even a week for that matter. However," he added, stroking Ryoma's hair and occasionally massaging lightly. "I know how you can help make it hurt a little less."

"Hmm?" It was as close to a purr as Fuji had ever heard. Ryoma had forced himself to respond as he was lulled into a peaceful state on top of Fuji's lap.

"It's time to collect on our contract," Fuji whispered softly into Ryoma's ear, his fingers still.

Ryoma's eyes snapped open in surprise. "Our contract?" He shivered a little as he felt the puffs of hot air coming out of Fuji's breath on his ear as he spoke.

"Well, I did pay a substantial amount for your first—and, I may add—last job. I don't believe that you've completed your side of the bargain." There was the slightest emphasis on the word 'last' when he said it.

"But, what about last night?" His eyes were wide open as he realized what Fuji was talking about.

"That doesn't count. I only did that as a favor to help you out, you know," Fuji said. There was something about Ryoma's wide-eyed expression that pushed him to make the younger boy _his_, and his alone.

Ryoma sighed, seemingly in defeat. However, Fuji was surprised when he found himself pushed onto the bed with the 'innocent kitten' atop of him. "My, my. This is certainly a pleasant surprise," Fuji remarked amusingly, apparently still calm.

Ryoma was a little surprised that he had dared to push Fuji down as well. However, his five years of training weren't in vain. He had been a fast and attentive student, and it was all kicking in now. _Give your patron what they want…bring their fantasy to life. _It was somewhat akin to role-playing or acting, except in a more intimate form.

"Now kiss me," Fuji said.

Ryoma's arms circled around Fuji's neck. Fuji felt the soft lips descend on his own, warm and delicious. When Ryoma deepened the kiss, he couldn't help but let out a moan that was muffled a bit. He felt himself drowning in the ecstasy of the kiss. He broke away first, his breath coming out in shallow gasps, eyes open in surprise at how seductive Ryoma could be despite the innocent appearance.

Ryoma gave him a small smirk. _That's more like it,_ Fuji thought to himself. _You shouldn't have to hide anymore within that shell of yours. _"Is that all you've got?" he challenged, somewhat breathlessly.

"Just wait. I can make you lose yourself in a cloud of pleasure and lust," Ryoma stated arrogantly.

"I'd like to see you try," Fuji shot back. "Why don't we see if I can get my money's worth out of you?"

That challenging tone from Fuji lit a burning fire in Ryoma. ­­"Oh, I can guarantee that you'll get more than you bargained for. Are you still willing to continue?"

"Always. With you, I always am," Fuji said softly. "Now finish what you set out to do."

* * *

The sun was close to setting when Rinko unlocked the door, which opened softly with a _click_. "Ryoma? Fuji-san? Are you here?" When Karupin _meowed_ softly by her feet, she leaned down and picked up the Himalayan. "You probably haven't eaten yet, have you?" She was answered with a satisfied sound from Karupin. "So you have? How nice of Fuji-san." 

"Okaa-san?" Ryoma asked as he stepped out of his room. "Is that you?"

"Ryoma!" she cried out in relief. "You're back safe and sound." She ran to her son and hugged him tightly, the fear of having him not at home when she returned dispelled. "Where is Fuji-san?" she asked curiously after releasing her son from the hug.

"Hello, Echizen-san," Fuji replied cheerfully as he walked out of Ryoma's bedroom.

"Oh, thank you so much for helping out Ryoma," Rinko said gratefully, giving Fuji an affectionate hug as well.

"You're welcome," Fuji replied warmly. "It was no problem at all."

"Eh, although…" Rinko spoke a bit hesitantly as she pulled away, "…you're still here with Ryoma. I presume that you know of Ryoma's history? Something even darker than what I don't know?" she asked.

"Have no worries, Echizen-san," Fuji replied reassuringly as he hugged Ryoma from behind. "I have nothing against his past. The Ryoma I know now is the one that I will treasure for as long as I live, regardless of what his history was like." He turned to Ryoma. "Isn't that right?" he asked, snuggling and hugging Ryoma tightly. He knew that Ryoma hated signs of public affection, but decided that constant exposure would change that.

Ryoma blushed at having to reply in front of Rinko. "Yeah, yeah," he replied gruffly. However, he made no move to pull away. "But…okaa-san, is it okay if I'm with Fuji?" he asked hesitantly.

"If you feel that Fuji is the right person for you, then I have no doubts. Everyone has another half. I believe that Fuji is your other half. I can only be happy for the two of you," Rinko replied joyfully. "It's rare to find your fated partner, and at such a young age." She sighed a little wistfully. "If only everyone was that lucky, then the world would be a better place."

"Well, we can't pair everyone up perfectly," Fuji said, "but we can start changing society little by little with a bit of influence from me. And I'm sure we can persuade the Atobe family to help out, too." The last portion was stated nonchalantly, but Ryoma could hear the smallest sliver of malice behind those words.

"But, most importantly, we can do it together, Ryoma," Fuji said.

"I suppose, if you really want to," Ryoma replied. _This person is going to break and change everything I've ever had, including the shell that I've built around myself. Although it's going to be accompanied with pain, and I'll probably still feel confused and anxious in the process, I know it will change, even if it's just gradually…_

"Together," Ryoma said, his golden eyes warm as he looked up at Fuji. And he smiled at last.

Owari

* * *

A/N- Ah! At long last, this series is complete. Wow…it's been almost a year since I've sent out the first chapter onto FFN and had the awesomest supporters ever since. This chapter is by far the longest. I wasn't sure that I could cut it off in the middle and still make it flow smoothly, so it's rather long. 

Thank you to everyone that's ever reviewed so far, and to those of you who read this long after it's been posted, reviews are always welcome. Whether it's three months or three years after the end, I would still love to hear from you guys. It's nice to know how others feel about this particular story, especially after all the hours that have been put into it.

Thank you for reading.

-The Unreal Phantom


	9. Overture

**Overture**

It was a sunny afternoon on a Saturday, and Fuji took advantage of his free time—which there wasn't too much of—to relax languidly on his bed in his room. However, he was shaken out of his half-nap when his door flew open and suddenly found himself in a tight hug.

"Aniki!" Yuuta cried out. "I'm back!"

"Oh, was that today?" Fuji said, somewhat breathlessly as he was still recovering from the shock. "It must have slipped my mind."

"Oi, what's wrong with you?" Yuuta asked as he pulled away. "Usually, you'd greet me at the front gate." He wouldn't admit it, but deep down, he looked forward to coming home and seeing Yumiko and Fuji.

But, Fuji being Fuji, he was able to realize how Yuuta felt. "I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "It's just that…there are things weighing heavily in my mind right now."

Yuuta waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, I get it. Besides, the only reason I came back was because you promised to show him to me."

Fuji blinked, feigning innocence. "Him? Who?"

"Don't act like you don't know who I'm talking about!" Yuuta knew his brother, and he knew Fuji was evading his questions because that's just the kind of person Fuji was: one that wouldn't face a problem straight on unless he was forced to. And even then, he would act with the minimum amount of effort required. _Unless…it was about someone he really cares about,_ Yuuta reflected. "You know…_him._"

"Ahh, him." Fuji nodded his head slowly. "Haven't the two of you met already?"

Yuuta gave a derisive snort. "Don't you dare try to pull that with me. I know what you're doing. You're just trying to avoid the problem, aren't you? Besides, you haven't even told me his name yet."

"Well, his name is Echizen Ryoma," Fuji said slowly, hoping that with the release of his lover's name, Yuuta would stop badgering him.

"Yeah, so what happened between the two of you that's making you all moody right now?" Yuuta prodded gently, eager to hear more. It wasn't often Fuji had something in his life that would make him act so differently from his usual distant self, so he was keen about finding out more about the matter.

Fuji looked over at Yuuta, who was settling himself next to the bed. "I've finally managed to make him mine—I mean, make my feelings known to him about a month ago." He coughed delicately at the slip. "However, after hearing confessions about my true feelings for him—as well as bonding deeply—he still hasn't gotten any closer to me. I've tried to expand our relationship, but he doesn't seem to care. In fact, I asked him to come over today, but he refused. Why would he do such a thing?" He gave a theatrical sigh. "I fear my life may be at an end without his companionship."

Yuuta rolled his eyes at the over dramatization. However, he sympathized with his brother. "Aniki, I think it's because you're pushing him too much. Maybe you should pull back a bit and allow him have some room to breath."

"Saa…maybe you're right," Fuji replied thoughtfully.

"Does that mean I can meet him now?" Yuuta asked without skipping a beat. When Fuji gave him a look, he replied with, "What? Allowing him to meet others shows that you're not going to be keeping him on a leash for the rest of his life." He nodded sagely, knowing that his argument was irrefutable.

"I suppose so," Fuji said. "But he's rather shy. And he doesn't really like coming over here unless it's an absolute must."

"I've got it!" Yuuta's eyes suddenly lit up with a gleam of inspiration. "Why don't you invite him over for dinner with our family. That way, we could all get to know each other a little better. We'd have to do it sooner or later, you know. You can't keep your relationship with him a secret forever." However, Yuuta saw a look on Fuji's face when he said that. "You're kidding? You were really trying to keep it a secret? From who?"

"Okaa-san," Fuji answered without hesitation. "You know what a traditionalist she is about us only having interactions with 'the upper class'. It's not that I'm ashamed of him. Far from it, you know. What I'm afraid of is that she'll do to him what she did with Saeki: make him move away so that I won't be able to see him ever again. I can't have that happen," Fuji finished resolutely.

Yuuta's eyebrows were furrowed in thought. "So, he's not living in our district? That's really going to be a problem. I wonder how we can make this work so that he's accepted by okaa-san. Hmm…"

Fuji gave a small smile. "Since when have you been so interested in helping me? If I remember correctly, when we were younger, you've always been so immersed in trying to beat me in everything," he said, and added on, "Of course, you never did win over me once, but that's not important."

Yuuta ignored the last comment. "I guess it because I care about you," he replied gruffly, embarrassed at having to share this with Fuji.

"See? I knew you loved your family," Fuji replied happily. He ruffled Yuuta's hair affectionately.

He tried to bat Fuji's hands away, but was unsuccessful in doing so. "Gah! You're so annoying. Now I remember why I went away." Though his expression was one of exasperation, his tone gave away the fact that he was not serious.

The door flew open for the second time that day without warning. "Yuuta, you're back! It's been too long!" Yumiko exclaimed in excitement. Yuuta suddenly found himself in a tight hug.

"Onee-san!" he said in surprise.

"Ah, it's so great to see the two Fuji brothers reunited once more," she said. "So, what were the two of you talking about so deeply that Yuuta forgot to greet me?" Yumiko asked, turning towards Fuji as well.

"About finding a way to get okaa-san to accept aniki's new boyfriend," Yuuta blurted out.

"Eh?! Fuji has a new boyfriend? Since when?" Yumiko's eyes were open wide in surprise.

"You make it sound as if I've had relationships before," Fuji replied, trying to avoid her questions. It was hard enough opening up to Yuuta, but now Yumiko was asking questions.

"For about a month now," Yuuta cut in smoothly. It wasn't often that he saw Fuji fidgeting with unease, so he took advantage of the moment.

"Really? And what's this about involving okaa-san?"

So Yuuta explained to Yumiko what they had been discussing previously. Fuji, meanwhile, stood beside the two of them, assessing the situation and the best way to handle it while keeping it under control.

In the end, Fuji just shook his head, smiling softly at his siblings' antics. _It's easier to give in to their whims instead of trying to stop them when they're so interested in Ryoma, especially now that I've told them. _"Tell you what," Fuji interjected. "I'll find a way to invite Ryoma over to dinner if the two of you can convince okaa-san to let him stay with me and have a dinner to introduce him to the rest of the family."

"Ne, Syusuke, that's a great idea!" Yumiko exclaimed. "Come on, Yuuta! It's going to take a while to explain to okaa-san, so we better start as soon as possible." She gestured for Yuuta to follow, and the two of them exited Fuji's bedroom.

Fuji sat on his bed for a few more seconds, pondering on what he would have to do. _I'll have to convince Ryoma to come over…_

…_and I'll have to speak with Atobe._

_

* * *

_"Ne, Ryoma, please talk to me," Fuji implored gently. "At least look at me." 

Fuji had gone over to Ryoma's house because he didn't want Ryoma to run away from him anymore. When he had knocked on the door and saw Ryoma, he couldn't help but pull the younger boy into a tight hug. Fuji would've continued on with a passionate kiss, but Ryoma had retreated to the sanctuary of his bedroom and had burrowed underneath the covers of the futon.

And now Fuji was having a hard time even getting Ryoma to look at him. "Ryoma, I came all this way and now you won't even look at me?" He tried to lift the covers, but Ryoma resisted. "Why?"

Ryoma mumbled something inarticulate.

Fuji leaned closer. "What was that? I couldn't hear you."

Throwing off the covers suddenly, Ryoma said quickly, "It's because I'm embarrassed!" He gripped the blanket tightly, clearly uncomfortable.

Confused, Fuji responded, "Well, about what?"

Ryoma's cheeks turned a light shade of pink as he spoke. "Ever since we…you know…did that one month ago, all you ever want to do now is just hang out." He fingered the edge of the covers, his eyes anywhere but on Fuji.

A sudden realization hit Fuji, and he laughed out loud as he finally understood.

"What?" Ryoma asked crossly, surprised with Fuji's reaction.

Still laughing a little, Fuji replied, "Is that all it was? I was worried that it was about something else. Still…if you wanted to, I suppose I could put aside more time to make love to you. I certainly don't mind," Fuji said slyly, arching an eyebrow suggestively, his eyes opening a fraction to reveal the gleaming blue underneath.

Ryoma flushed even more. "I wasn't talking about that!" He tried to slide back under the covers once more, but Fuji pulled him onto his lap. "What are you doing?" he cried out in surprise.

Fuji planted a deep kiss on his lips, his tongue trailing languorously over the plump lips. "What you want," he said simply.

Ryoma moaned at Fuji's ministrations, unconsciously leaning into his touch. His mind fogged over, and his arms wrapped around Fuji's neck, pulling him even closer.

Fuji chuckled at Ryoma's reaction silently, and pulled away before things could go further, enjoying immensely the moan of complaint from Ryoma when he did so. He really did enjoy the image Ryoma presented at the moment: eyes clouded with lust, lips slightly parted and panting, the shirt slightly askew so that a pale shoulder was shown. "Unfortunately, before we can go further, I need you to do something for me," Fuji said.

Ryoma gave a growl of objection and proceeded to push Fuji down, straddling the other's hip. "No," he stated simply.

Fuji smiled. "Who knew you were such a beast when aroused?" he stated before kissing his lover deeply once more.

An hour later, Ryoma was languishing in Fuji's hold, his body sprawled on the futon and fully satiated. "What was it that you wanted me to do?" he asked.

"Hmm, about that," Fuji said, playing with a strand of silky black hair. "I was wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner. You know, because I want to introduce you properly to my mother. Oh, and because my sister and brother want to see you," he finished nonchalantly.

"You told them about me?" Ryoma asked sharply, turning to face Fuji, all trace of leisure gone.

"I didn't…exactly tell them outright. They just somehow found out about it," Fuji explained.

Ryoma snorted.

"Anyhow, I was really hoping you'd come over tomorrow for dinner. Please?" he asked softly, his eyes pleading as he cupped Ryoma's cheeks with a hand. "For me?"

Silent for a moment, Ryoma was deep in thought. "Just dinner, right?" he said at last.

"Mmm-hmm. Just dinner. But if you want, you could sleepover."

"…Fine," Ryoma grumbled. "As long I don't have to sleep in a room with the rest of your family because they claim to want to know me better."

"Thank you," Fuji whispered in his ear. "I'm sorry to leave you like this now, but I have some unfinished business to take care of," he added as he came out from under the covers and began to pick his clothes up from a discarded pile next to the futon. He zipped his pants up and slipped on a shirt. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at four-thirty in the afternoon, is that okay?"

Ryoma sat up, wrapping the covers around his unclothed waist. "Wait, Fuji—"

"Sorry, I can't explain," Fuji interrupted, giving Ryoma a quick kiss. "I have to go now." He strode out the room and the apartment, his departure quiet.

Ryoma blinked at the sudden absence. "I was just going to say that you put on my shirt," he said to himself.

* * *

When Fuji swung by Atobe's house, instead of going through the entrance gates like most people would, he cut around to the side and hopped the fence that was the border of the grounds. Slipping around the security guards patrolling the area, he stealthily made his way towards Atobe's window, which was easily identifiable due to the fact that it had the lilac purple curtains lining the windows. Fuji knew that that his skills at getting around without being seen should've disturbed him, but he was long used to it by now. _I guess all those times of sneaking out of the parties and getting out of the house really do pay off. I should do this more often. I could definitely get used to this if I get to see Ryoma more._ The last thought brought a smile up to his face, and he forced himself to get rid of it before he confronted Atobe. Scaling up the water drains easily, Fuji landed with a soft _thump_ on the balcony, his eyes wary of any other movement besides his own. After a long pause, he strode over to the door and pulled them open, scornful of the fact that Atobe still didn't learn to lock the doors, even after the demonstration he personally gave a month ago. 

"Who's there?" a voice spoke out sharply.

Fuji slipped in as silently as he could, perching on the edge of the bed elegantly. "Hello, Atobe," he greeted, inclining his head ever so slightly.

Atobe whirled around. "Fuji Syusuke," he said in genuine astonishment, his gray eyes flashing with alarm. "How did you get in here?"

"Isn't that what you asked me the last time I had the pleasure of coming in? Of course, I wasn't too happy with what I saw," Fuji drawled in a bored tone, his hand gesturing the bed that he was sitting on.

If Atobe were any lesser of an aristocrat, he would've blushed. "I thought we had agreed to let this matter go," he replied stiffly as he turned to face Fuji.

"I did said that, but that was in the past. Now, however," Fuji said, "I need a favor from you."

"A favor?" Atobe said suspiciously, an eyebrow arching elegantly. "What kind of favor?"

"Listen closely, because I don't want to repeat myself," Fuji warned. "I want you to use your family's influence to get the name 'Echizen' into the Quarters Book as one of the aristocrats."

Atobe interrupted at this point. "Are you joking, Fuji? Do you realize how hard that is? A new name hasn't been added for at least three years. It's going to be suspicious if a new one is added when there hasn't been any major changes thus far."

"You're Atobe-sama," Fuji said, as if that explained everything. "It shouldn't be a problem for you at all."

"I can't guarantee that it'll happen, though," Atobe said.

"It better happen," Fuji replied. "Or, if you decide not to get this done by tomorrow night, then I can always spread around the news that you drugged Ryoma and planned to break him. I'm sure everyone would want to hear about that," Fuji said lightly, though his implications were clearly far darker.

"You can't prove anything," Atobe hissed.

Fuji's eyes narrowed into slits of ice-blue fire. "You'd be surprised with what I can do. You don't want to find out. Trust me."

The two stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity, their eyes warring to see who would break it off first.

Finally, Atobe tore his eyes away. "Fine, I'll get Echizen in," he said bitterly.

"And the quieter you can without making a lot of commotion, the better," Fuji added on.

"Why are you doing this for him, anyways?" Atobe could help asking, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Because I love him," Fuji said without hesitation. "It's the only way I can stay with him."

Atobe quirked an eyebrow. "And how will getting his family name into the Quarters Book help him?"

"That's a secret," Fuji replied before exiting the room through the window as silently as he had entered.

Atobe blinked. Then his eyes softened as he left a parting comment unheard by Fuji. "I can understand why you've fallen for him, Fuji. He's something different."

* * *

"Remind me why I'm here again?" Ryoma asked as the two of them were alone in Fuji's room. 

"Because you love me," Fuji said.

"That's not going to pass," Ryoma replied dryly.

"Because I won't give you back your shirt until after dinner?"

"Neither will that."

Fuji thought for a minute. "Because I can give you something no one else can."

Ryoma quirked an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like this." And Fuji pulled Ryoma into a heated kiss, his tongue unashamedly exploring Ryoma's mouth with a surety.

Ryoma whimpered and made a plaintive noise, his annoyance forgotten as he melted in Fuji's touch.

Fuji suddenly pulled away. "And if you sit through dinner with my family, then I'll give you much more during bedtime," Fuji said slyly.

Ryoma was breathing harshly, his cheeks flushed. "Damn you."

"I love you, too," Fuji replied cheerfully. "Now, come on, before they start thinking that you ran away." He pushed Ryoma out the door and into the dining hall where his mother, Yuuta, and Yumiko were already waiting.

"Okaa-san, I'd like for you to meet Echizen Ryoma again," Fuji introduced after they all took a seat. Obviously, he had Ryoma sitting next to him. "He's my lover."

There was a collective gasp from around the table.

_What the heck does he think he's doing? _Ryoma was shocked at Fuji's blunt explanation of their relationship so early on in the meal.

_Syusuke's so bold today,_ both Yuuta and Yumiko thought in unison.

Fuji's mother was just silent in shock. "What…what did you say, my dear?" she asked.

"He's my lover," Fuji replied simply.

"If this is a joke, then it's not a very amusing one," she replied.

"I assure you, it isn't," Fuji said. "And if your rejection is due to the fact that you don't think he's suitable for me, then check in the Quarters Book for his family name. I mean, that's all you want, right? For him to be on the same level as us." Fuji truly had no idea if Atobe had managed to get 'Echizen' into the Quarters Book yet, but counted on the fact that he had scared him enough to do it as soon as he left.

"I'll check after dinner," she replied stiffly as the first meal was set in front of them.

"So, Echizen, how did you meet Syusuke?" Yumiko asked politely as they all began to eat.

Yuuta's head shot up in interest, his soup spoon missing the bowl entirely as he scooped and hit the table.

"Umm…" Ryoma blushed a little as he thought of his first assignment. _I can't tell them what really happened._ "I was selling something, and he was the one that bought it," Ryoma replied vaguely. He looked desperately at Fuji for an answer.

"Mmm-hmm," Fuji agreed as he swallowed. "I couldn't resist what he was selling. I just _had_ to buy it. Of course, it took a while before I actually used it." He smiled mischievously as he continued to sip the soup.

Yuuta's face took on a confused look. "What does that even mean, anyways? I don't understand."

"Oh," Yumiko said, her eyes wide with amusement as she suddenly found the meaning behind Fuji's words.

"What did he mean?" Yuuta asked keenly. Though thoroughly interested, it was his naïve nature that kept him from fully understanding.

"Ah, it's not something that can be said at the table out loud, Yuuta," Yumiko responded lightly, obviously amused. "Finish the soup before it gets cold."

Conversations like that broke sporadically over the whole course of the dinner. Fuji took great pleasure in watching Ryoma blush in having to answer, Yumiko always asked the questions with Yuuta confused a majority of the time, and Fuji's mother was pointedly trying to avoid listening altogether, although she did interject a number of times.

Ryoma collapsed onto Fuji's bed after the meal, completely exhausted from the evening's events. "I am never doing this for you again," he said.

Fuji shut the door behind him. "What? I didn't think it was that bad. Okaa-san even smiled at you in the end."

"That's a smile?" he asked dryly. "I don't get it. How is it that you're related to her? You smile so much, but she rarely smiles at all."

"Life is funny like that," Fuji said.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Yumiko and Yuuta were in the room. "Syusuke, that was wonderful! The dinner went pretty well, and I think okaa-san is starting to like Echizen," Yumiko said cheerfully.

Ryoma only rolled his eyes. _This whole family is weird._

"So, you're Echizen Ryoma," Yuuta said as he walked up to Ryoma and stared at him.

"I believe that was implied during the dinner," Ryoma replied as he sat up on the bed, staring back at Yuuta.

"Why, you—! Arrogant brat," Yuuta retorted.

"Now, now, Yuuta, play nice," Fuji commented amusingly, slinging an arm over his brother's shoulder.

Ryoma sniffed, his eyes upon the arm that Fuji had on Yuuta's shoulders. "Takes one to know one."

Yuuta flushed. "Oh, you are _so_ going down!" he said, his body tensing up as he got ready to tackle Ryoma.

Yumiko only laughed. "He's just playing with you, Yuuta. But, I think we've outlasted our stay. I'm sure they want to be alone now. Let's go."

"But—!"

"Echizen's probably exhausted from tonight. He's never dealt with okaa-san before, so let's give them a chance to rest." She nudged Yuuta towards the direction of the door. "It was really nice meeting you tonight, Echizen. Good night, you two," she said as she closed the door behind her.

Ryoma flopped back down. "You're brother's annoying. I don't like him," he stated simply.

"You don't really mean that," Fuji said as he took a seat next to Ryoma on the bed. "You're just jealous of him."

"Jealous?! How?" Ryoma asked indignantly.

"It was pretty obvious that you got riled when you saw how close our relationship was."

Ryoma's flushed. "As if I'd care about something like that."

"Whatever you say," Fuji said, smilling.

A knock came from the door. "Syusuke, can I speak with you please?"

"Okaa-san? Come in," Fuji said, slightly surprised. _Okaa-san never comes up to my room._ He looked over at Ryoma, who only shrugged back at him, confused.

She entered the room and took a seat on a chair next to his desk, her eyes darting to Ryoma before going to Fuji's face. "I have a question for you, Syusuke. Do you truly love Echizen Ryoma?"

Whatever Fuji had expected his mother to ask, this was not it. "Of course," he replied without hesitation.

"And if I forbade the relationship between the two of you?" she asked.

"Then the two of us would elope elsewhere, I suppose," Fuji responded, half-jokingly.

She raised an eyebrow at his joke. "So, what you're saying is that you'd do almost anything to stay with him?" It wasn't a question more than it was a statement.

"Yes," Fuji said. _I wonder if she knows I went over to Atobe's and had him put 'Echizen' into the Quarters Book. _Thought Fuji would never admit it, he was very similar to his mother due to the fact that the two of them were very secretive and hid things extremely well.

"Well, then, I wish the two of you happiness," she said as she stood up and walked towards the door.

"Wait!" Fuji said, surprised by her response.

She stopped and turned back to look at her son. "Is there something else you need?"

"Does this mean that you approve of our relationship, okaa-san?" he ventured tentatively, not knowing if it was too good to be true.

"I gave you my blessing, Syusuke. Yes, I approve," she said softly, her eyes observant to how Ryoma leaned upon Fuji even in her presence, lending support to Fuji. As she was about to walk out the room and shut the door, she suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked back.

"Echizen, I suddenly recalled during dinner where I heard your family name before," she said as she looked at Ryoma, noting the characteristic eyes. "Rinko was a good friend of mine back in junior high. We were actually best friends before we went our separate ways. You have her eyes, you know." And the door clicked shut as she left.

Ryoma blinked at her exit. "I had no idea," he said softly. "She never said anything about her past to me."

"The past isn't always bright and cheerful all the time," Fuji said. "Some would rather forget what they did in the past. I believe she was trying to repent a little."

Ryoma suddenly gave a large yawn. "I'm tired. Can we sleep yet?"

"Yes, we can," he said as the two of them changed into their pajamas. He suddenly felt drained himself as he yawned. He closed the lights and slipped into the bed with Ryoma next to him, automatically draping an arm around Ryoma's slender waist as he snuggled against him.

"Good night, Syusuke."

"Good night, Ryoma."

And the two of them fell asleep together, confident in their abilities to face the troubles they would encounter as a couple and succeed.

Owari

* * *

A/N-The long-awaited extra chapter (to answer some of the questions posted by the readers) to my first-ever published story on FF.N is finally done! …Or is it?

* * *

"You know, Ryoma, I couldn't stop thinking of you throughout dinner last night," Fuji said in an amused tone as the two of them sat in Fuji's room idly, enjoying the rare opportunity they had to be with one another. 

"Syusuke, if this is one of your lustful stories, I don't want to hear it," Ryoma replied in a tired voice. He had already heard too many of those, and once was enough. He believed himself to be scarred for life.

"I promise you, this isn't like the one before—"

"—Or the one before that, and the previous one before that—" he muttered.

Fuji shook his head mockingly. "Ne, Ryoma, if you keep interrupting me like this, I'm going to have to punish you in turn." His eyes took on a devious glint. "You know what I mean."

Ryoma snorted uncaringly, though inside he truly dreaded Fuji's so-called 'punishment'.

"Anyhow," Fuji continued on. "Dinner with the rest of the aristocrats in the dining hall was the same as it was from before. Nothing about it had changed. However, after meeting you, I can truly say that you've changed me."

_For the better or for the worst? _Ryoma thought. _You couldn't have been this sadistic before you met me. _Of course, he couldn't have known that Fuji had been worse before he came.

"As I looked around the table, I noticed that no one was talking. Their eyes were either trained on their plates or looking blankly over the shoulders of the person across them. Do you know what ran through my mind as I sat there, Ryoma?"

"What?" Ryoma asked cautiously, though not without reason.

Fuji sighed wistfully. "I was thinking of what you would do if you were in that situation with me. Or, rather, if you were in my position."

"And what was that?"

"Well, I could picture you just sitting there, quietly fidgeting in your seat and slowly turning red as you became agitated and restless," Fuji replied cheerfully.

"I wouldn't do that!" Ryoma exclaimed.

"Well, you did that the first time we ate together in a formal situation with the rest of my family," Fuji said, unperturbed. "Remember?"

Ryoma stayed silent and, instead, looked away.

"Well, if you _were_ there with me, I wouldn't have cared so much," Fuji said. "You could've kept me company throughout the whole dinner."

Sweat drops broke out on Ryoma as he imagined what Fuji would do to him if he was bored and with nothing else to do at the moment.

"You know, the tablecloths are rather long," Fuji said unnecessarily. "You can't even see what goes on underneath." His tone was suggestive, and his eyes grew dark as he turned to Ryoma. "Why don't you come—"

"No! Absolutely not," Ryoma said immediately. The thought of even _being_ in that situation made him blush.

"Saa…you've interrupted me once again. You know what that means." Fuji smiled wickedly as he advanced upon Ryoma predatorily.

Ryoma's eyes grew wide. "Syusuke, please! I didn't mean to do that!" When he saw that Fuji didn't slow in his advance, he added, "I won't do it again!"

Fuji pounced, pushing Ryoma onto the bed. "I actually wouldn't mind if you keep interrupting me." He straddled the slim hips. "In fact, I'd prefer it if you did."

"Why? So you can have an excuse to 'punish' me?" Ryoma asked, hoping that the question would distract Fuji long enough so that he could get away.

Sadly, it did not. Fuji restrained Ryoma's arms with his own, clamping his hands tightly around Ryoma's wrists and pinning it to the bed. "I suppose so," he replied vaguely, his mind completely focused on ravishing the figure underneath him. He licked a hot trail from Ryoma's collarbone to jaw. When he reached the jaw, instead of his usual kiss, he found Ryoma's pulse beating wildly and bit down lightly, taking care not to leave visible teeth marks. _Well, not too visible, anyways._

"Syusuke! Please, stop!" Ryoma cried out, though his traitorous hips rocked into Fuji's skillful touch.

"It'll be easier for you if you just give in," Fuji suggested as he continued his skillful ministrations on Ryoma's body.

And so Ryoma did so, his resolution that it would a waste of energy to try and stop his sadistic lover from something he was intent on doing, no matter what.

Plus, he secretly enjoyed it deep down. He would never reveal that secret to Fuji, however.

_Damn my masochistic self._

_

* * *

_A/N- Okay, the true ending this time. I actually wrote the extra-extra a loooong time ago as a side story to 'Elegy of Hope', but never found a good spot to put it in. I felt bad about not putting this last special out to the faithful readers in the time allotted like I had previously promised, so I decided to put it in at the end. It would just sit on the hard drive anyways, so why not let the readers have it? 

And if anything seemed OOC, well, I'll stick with the explanation that it's an AU. Things are bound to change, but I hope you guys liked it still.

Thanks for all your support! You guys rock!

-The Unreal Phantom


End file.
